The Department of State Security (DSS), has written to the Senate, insisting that the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, is ‘unfit’ to head the anti-graft agency.
The Senate is expected to screen Magu today.
However, it was gathered that the Senate President received a letter from the DSS as late as 10:15PM on Tuesday, where the Secret service maintained its earlier position that indicted Magu.
A source in the Senate noted that the Senate President will read the letter during plenary, adding that the president must be in the known of the letter since the DSS reports directly to the presidency.
“It is a known fact that we must get security report on every nominee of the government. The senate does not have its own security agent so we depend on reports from the federal security agencies,” the source said.
Senators had on December 15, 2016 after a closed-door meeting decided to reject Magu’s nomination after receiving a report by the DSS, which indicted the acting EFCC chairman.
But on January 24, Buhari re-nominated Magu, but the Senate has been sitting on Magu’s nomination since then.
Senate President Bukola Saraki announced yesterday that Magu will be screened today.
“We have the acting chairman of EFCC who will also be appearing before us for screening tomorrow and it will follow at 11:30am,” Saraki said.
Magu’s screening today was expected to put an end to months of high-powered politicking over his confirmation.
The DSS report, signed by Folashade Bello on behalf of the Director General, Lawal Daura and dated October 3, 2016, addressed to the clerk to the Senate, said Magu failed integrity test and would eventually constitute a liability to the anti-corruption drive of the present administration if confirmed.
It later emerged that there were two reports from the DSS, while one indicted the acting EFCC chairman of being corrupt, the other cleared him.
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