Four people, including a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) and two serving police commissioners, have been pencilled as possible replacement for Ibrahim Magu, the suspended chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
This is coming as the Presidential Panel led by Justice Ayo Salami, a former president of the Court of Appeal, continued with its interrogation of the embattled Magu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
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It had been reported in June, 2020, that AGF Malami had suggested three names for President Buhari to pick one as EFCC chairman after he allegedly recommended that Magu should be sacked.
These included Deputy Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Sani Usman (rtd); the FCT Commissioner of Police, Bala Ciroma; and a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, from Kebbi State.
But other sources said the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Ahmad Abdurrahman, had been added to the list.
One of the sources said the four people are being considered and would be presented to President Muhammadu Buhari “after diligent screening at the presidency and by relevant security agencies.”
Another source said while any of the above names could be sent to the Senate for confirmation, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Mohammed Umar Abba is most likely going to take over the commission in acting capacity.
He said DCP Abba who hails from Kano State, is one of the most senior police officers seconded to the EFCC, and is the director of operations at the anti-graft agency.
Also, the name of DIG Sani Muhammad Gwallaga is being mentioned elsewhere as a possible replacement of Magu.
CP Ciroma
The current FCT Police Commissioner, Ciroma had a stint at the EFCC where he held sway at head of operations between 2004 and 2008.
He also served as Deputy Commissioner of Police (Welfare) in the Finance and Administration Department at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Until his appointment as the FCT Commissioner of Police on July 19, 2018, Ciroma, who has been described as a shrewd crack detective was the Deputy Commissioner of Police in the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (CIID) of the FCT Police Command.
Between 2012 and 2013, he was the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, FCT Command, and Assistant Commissioner of Police, IGP Monitoring Unit, Force Headquarters.
Ciroma also spent time between 2011 and 2012 as Assistant Commissioner of Police, CID, Kano State Command.
CP Abdurrahman
He is also among those being touted to replace Magu as EFCC chairman.
Abdurrahman is the current police commissioner in Enugu State since August 2019.
His name for the EFCC chairmanship was mentioned in 2017.
He holds double Masters Degrees; one in Criminal Justice and another in Conflict, Peace & Strategic Studies, both from the Kaduna State University. A graduate of Political Science & Administration from the University of Sokoto, CP Abdulrahman also holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Corruption Studies from the University of Hong Kong.
Until his posting to Enugu, CP Abdurrahman was the Commissioner of Police in charge of Intelligence at the FCID, Abuja.
He has held many command positions across the Federation including in Kaduna, Bayelsa and Ekiti states.