Buhari Suspends Top EFCC Officials Over Alleged Criminal Infractions

By Matthew Ogune, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly suspended over 10 senior officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

It was gathered that the EFCC’s Executive Secretary, Olanipekun Olukoyede, was among top officials of the commission suspended by President Buhari.

Olukoyede became the Secretary to the EFCC in November 2018 following confirmation by the Senate.

The Ikere-Ekiti born senior lawyer was a former chief of staff to Magu. He replaced Emmanuel Aremo, whose five-year tenure expired in July 2018.

A presidency source said: “They were suspended for various alleged criminal and corrupt infractions.”

According to the source, the senior officials were suspended by Buhari to allow an unhindered investigation into activities of the EFCC under the administration of suspended chairman, Ibrahim Magu.

“All the top officials in the agency have been suspended, their offices locked, to prevent any tampering with files at the commission,” the source added.

The source also revealed that the recently appointed chairman of the commission was not suspended because he was found not to be a part of the suspected underhand dealings in the EFCC.

Criminal Investigation Department had on Monday seized two official bulletproof vehicles of suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu.

One of the vehicles was recovered in Abuja and the other in Maiduguri, Borno State.

It was further gathered that the vehicles were taken to the Force Headquarters but later moved to the commission’s headquarters.

It was also gathered that some of the detectives stormed the commission’s head office and sealed Magu’s office on the 10th floor of the new EFCC building which is located along Airport Road, Jabi.

Sources said that workers were barred from accessing the entire floor where the office was located.

President Buhari had last week confirmed the suspension of Magu while replacing him with Mohammed Umar, the agency’s Head of Operations.

Magu is facing a presidential panel led by Justice Ayo Salami probing various allegation levelled against him.