Magu used ‘Pastor’ to launder re-looted funds to Dubai, report claims

Buhari
Ibrahim Magu

The suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, currently facing the Justice Ayo Salami-led Presidential Probe Panel has been further indicted by an investigative report.

In the said report on EFCC’s activities as compiled by the Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), and referenced in the final report of the Presidential Committee on Audit of Recovered Assets (PCARA), Magu was said to have used a ‘Pastor’ to launder part of the recovered looted funds to Dubai.

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, had levelled allegations of mismanagement and lack of transparency in managing recovered assets by the EFCC against Magu, claiming he had used recovered looted funds for self enrichment.

Magu, currently being held at the Police headquarters, Abuja, is expected to reappear before the Justice Salami probe panel on Monday, to defend himself against several allegations.

However, a copy of the already leaked PCARA report indicated that one Pastor Emmanuel Omale of Hand of God Prophetic Ministry was used by Magu to, on his behalf, purchase a landed property worth N573 million in Dubai, United Arab Emirate (UAE).

“Another individual who is helping in laundering funds for the Acting Chairman and who has been referred to in several petitions is one Pastor Emmanuel Omale (Hand of God Prophetic Ministry).

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“He is reported to have travelled to Dubai with Mr Magu and his name was used in purchasing property in Dubai for Mr Magu.

“As an unknown pastor, the NFIU’s report showed huge movement of funds ranging from N573,228,040.41,” the report revealed.

However, the real identity of the said cleric has not been known, but security agents were said to be making efforts to unmask and arraign him, if found culpable.

The said PCARA report also faulted the roles Magu played in the corruption case involving former Minister for Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison Madueke, saying, Magu failed to cooperate with authorities in the United Kingdom to prosecute Alison Madueke.

“In the Diezani Alison Madueke case, the Acting Chairman is failing to further cooperate with the UK NCA to enable them charge the Former Minister to court in the UK.

“The Acting Chairman despite his knowledge that Mrs (Alison) Madueke will not be extradited to Nigeria until after her trial in the UK, has consistently been accusing the UK government on the pages of print and electronic media of not wanting to extradite her to Nigeria,’’ the report said.

The report also accused Magu of deliberately refusing to provide documentary evidence that would make the office of Nigeria’s Attorney-General commence the extradition process of Alison Madueke, which it was said had “strained the EFCC relationship with Europe most strategic partner.”