Revealed! How Ibrahim Magu Escaped Re-arrest After Release From Detention

The suspended former Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, avoided re-arrest on Thursday, July 16, for his decision to remain in the official residence of the EFCC chairman, a report by Nigerian Tribune says.

The DAILY VENDOR gathered that after spending almost 10 days in detention, Magu was released from police custody on bail on the evening of Wednesday, July 15, on the order of the Justice Ayo Salami-led presidential panel investigating his regime as EFCC acting chairman.

Magu was detained at the Force Criminal Investigation Department at Garki Area 10 in Abuja from Monday, July 6, when he was arrested by a combined team of mobile policemen and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), in traffic at Wuse II, till Wednesday, July 15.

The report said that after his release, Magu headed for the official residence of the EFCC chairman at Maitama, where he passed the night, giving orders to official staff and security details assigned to the residence, despite being suspended.

It was further gathered that, Ibrahim Magu, upon sensing he may be re-arrested, quickly moved out of the official residence on Thursday, to his private residence in Karu, Abuja.

Nigerian Tribune also learnt on Friday, July 17, that the police operatives guarding the former EFCC boss were withdrawn by police authorities on Thursday, July 16.

Reacting to Magu’s planned re-arrest, his lawyer, Wahab Shittu, however, told Tribune Online on the telephone on Friday, July 17, that although Magu’s security details were withdrawn, they were later restored to him.

“Let me make this clear, his security details were withdrawn but they have been restored,” Shittu stated.

Asked to react to the concerns raised by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on the ongoing investigation of Magu following his (Shittu’s) claim that the Justice Salami-led investigation panel would clear his client of every allegation and also reinstate him, Shittu said he didn’t want to make “a political reaction.”

Earlier, the PDP had claimed in a statement issued by its publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, that, “Nigerians were shocked when counsel for suspended EFCC acting chairman, Wahab Shittu, boastfully declared that he had Magu’s instruction to inform the public that “he will be reinstated to the office.”

A source close to Magu was quoted to have said on Friday, July 17, that notwithstanding his current troubles, the suspended EFCC boss remained unshaken and had called on Nigerians to own the fight against corruption.