Maigari Dingyadi, the Minister of Police Affairs has revealed that former acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), CP Ibrahim Magu, is still on the Federal Government’s payroll as a police officer despite his suspension by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Maigari, who was a guest at Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ current affairs programme said Magu was rejected twice by the Senate but later served as acting Chairman of the EFCC from 2015.
Following reports and allegation which he denied, Magu was suspended along with several others in July 2020 for mismanagement of funds.
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He was put on probation for over three months by a judicial panel of inquiry led by a former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami.
The panel made several recommendations but the report has not been made public to date.
Abdulrasheed Bawa was later in February appointed by the President to replace Magu.
In July 2021, the Police Service Commission approved the promotion of 24 Commissioners of Police to the next rank of Assistant Inspectors General of Police but a statement by the Commission’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, said
“the Commission declined the promotion of CP Magu pending clearance from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and the Office of the Inspector General of Police.”
Giving an update on Magu’s case on the programme on Tuesday, the minister said, “The matter is investigated and the man is still in the service, he is still in the Force Headquarters, I don’t want to expatiate at this material time as to what is happening to the report of the committee.
“What I know is that the report has been submitted to Mr President and as far as I know, no communication has yet to be submitted to the ministry or the police force on this matter.
“So, we are waiting for the final outcome and the public will be informed as and when the need arises.”
“Of course, he is still a police officer even though he is under suspension. He used to be the chairman of the EFCC but he is no longer one.
“But that does not mean he is not on the payroll of the Federal Government; he is still a civil servant, he is still a police officer until a final decision is taken on the matter, I don’t think I should say anything more than I have said on this matter now,” Dingyadi added.
