The letter was a follow up to the security report earlier submitted to the presidency and the Senate which formed the kernel for the Senate’s refusal to screen Magu and was in response to an earlier letter by the AGF dated 19th December, 2016 with reference number HAGF/DSS/2016/Vol.1/7 which demanded for the basis for the security report.
In the letter from the DSS signed by Folashade Bello for the Director-General of the DSS, leaked to the press on Friday, the security service said Magu’s poor sense of judgment and willingness to compromise official documents for personal interest betrayed the high level of integrity that should be watchword of the holder of such office as EFCC chairman.
The root of the DSS report against Magu was what it claimed as his unusual relationship with Air Commodore Mohammed Umar (rtd.), a suspect being prosecuted by the DSS who was a member of the Presidential Committee on Audit of Arms Purchase with Magu.
Backing up its claims, the DSS in the letter, said it provided a copy of the confessional statement by Air Commodore Mohammed Umar (rtd.) where he affirmed his ownership of Valcour S.A. Nigeria Limited, a company awarded the contract of securing and furnishing an official residence for Magu by the FCTA.
The DSS also presented what it claimed was a forged memo which supposedly originated from the office of the Vice-President and addressed to the President which was recovered from the private residence of Umar during a search operation by the Service.
The document was a request for approval to commence further investigation into the financial activities of a serving minister from the Niger Delta. The DSS also forwarded another annexure being a letter from the Office of the Vice-President affirming that the annexure supposedly from the office was a forged.
The service also attached sensitive official documents of the EFCC found in Umar’s residence during the search which were, however, not attached to the letter leaked to the press.
The DSS stated that a confessional statement by Umar to the Service claiming that his trip to Maiduguri for condolence visit to Magu, sequel to the loss of a close relative and made on behalf of the Presidential Committee on Audit of Arms Purchase was false as investigations revealed that the committee did not send any of its members on such an assignment.
“The visit of Umar to Magu is therefore assessed as an expression of their close sinister relationship at the detriment of National Security interests,” DSS stated.
“An officer appointed as Ag. Chairman of EFCC should by all means be one of impeccable credentials, with proven integrity and capacity to lead the nation’s fight against graft in high and low places. Thus far, it is evident from Magu’s antecedents that he is by no means that kind of officer.
“His relationship with Umar Mohammed which involved disclosure of very sensitive and classified official documents in his possession shows lack of professionalism and assails his integrity.
“Moreso, for an office who was indicted and nearly dismissed six (6) years ago, to again be involved in similar circumstances, it is clear that Magu is a perennial offender and cannot change.
“Also worthy of note is the fact that Magu exhibited a total lack of judgment where it matters most. He accepted to move into a tastily furnished accommodation without any scrutiny of how it was furnished. This is curious and speaks volumes of his personality.
“The recovery of sensitive and classified documents from the residence of Umar further underlays his close affinity to Magu and an apparent penchant for sabotaging official processes and administrative protocols, just to further the latter’s personal material and pecuniary agenda.
“Such mutually beneficial relationships as with Umar, who by his confession, approaches ‘clients’ for possible exploitation, favours and associated returns is unprecedented and very damming for an anti-graft top official.
“It has exposed Magu as a fraudulent officer and betrays the high confidence reposed in him by Mr. President.
“This reinforces the view that Magu may continue to exploit his official position, if confirmed as EFCC Chairman and indulge in other unprofessional and criminal conducts for personal aggrandisement contrary to his oath of office.”
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