Magu: Abdulsalami speaks on EFCC raid

Former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar on Thursday cleared the air on an op-ed penned by the spokesman of late President Umaru Yar’adua, Segun Adeniyi, in which he said EFCC operatives had at a time raided his (Abdulsalami’s) residence in Minna, Niger State, at the instance of Ibrahim Magu.

The opinion article had since dominated media discourse.

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Adeniyi had said that Magu’s travails might not be unconnected with some of his excesses, including touching some powerful people.

However a statement by Abdulsalami’s spokesman, Capt. J. Mfon (rtd),  said “The attention of His Excellency General A A A Abubakar has been drawn to reports that the EFCC searched his house in Minna, Niger State, on the orders of its Acting Chairman, CP Ibrahim Magu, and he feels the need to put the record straight.

“His house has never been searched by either the EFCC or any other security agency.

“ However, sometime in 2017, operatives of the commission from Kano zone came to Minna to search a house in Tunga. The team ended up at His Excellency’s guest house in Minna and told the security officers on duty that they had instructions from their zonal head to search the property.

“The officers said since the numbering of houses in Tunga was haphazard, it must be a case of mistaken identity. When CP Magu was contacted, he said he was not aware of the operation. Thereafter, the EFCC team from Kano left.

“His Excellency’s understanding is that they realised they came to the wrong address. However, no search was conducted in the guest house.

“His Excellency, as a rule does not comment on media publications directed at or concerning him. He has taken this step in view of the reactions these reports are generating.

“His Excellency felt the need to provide this important clarification due to the ongoing media frenzy insinuating His Excellency’s role in Magu’s issue,” the statement said.