FORMER ACTING CHAIRMAN OF EFCC, IBRAHIM MAGU SEEKS RELEASE FROM DETENTION

The former Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, who is under investigation by a presidential panel, has requested bail from custody.

He has spent the fourth day at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID).

Magu has been in detention at the FCID, July 6, since Monday when he first appeared before the panel.

This is due to the allegations of levelled against him by Minister of Justice and Attorney-General Abubakar Malami.

Also on Thursday, July 9, 16 top officials of EFCC and the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), appeared before the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel sitting in Abuja.

It was gathered that amongst the EFCC officials who appeared before the panel are; Secretary to the EFCC Mr. Ola Oloyede, Director of Operations Mr. Mohammed Umar and a former Director of Organisational support who is now a Commissioner of Police, Bolaji Salami.

They pleaded with the committee to prevail on the Inspector-General of Police to release Magu on bail because it is his fundamental right.

The lawyer argued that “apart from being on the grounds of fundamental human rights, the application for bail was borne out of Magu being a senior police officer.

Ordinarily, Magu ought to be detained at the Police Officers Mess pending the conclusion of investigation not behind the counters as the case is at the moment.

His lawyer disclosed that on his first day in FCID custody, he slept on a chair throughout the night. He opted to stay in a cell but he was asked to sleep in an office. For safety reasons, he chose to sleep on a chair.