Magu: Senators demand new report from DSS

A week after President Muhammadu Buhari wrote to the Senate and cleared the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, of corruption, members of the Senate have called on the Department of State Services, whose report indicted the nominee, to issue another report to clear him.

According to the lawmakers, the decision by the Senate was based on the DSS report, which accused Magu of corruption and malpractice.

The senators also sought to summon the Director General of the DSS to explain why the agency’s report indicted Magu while another probe by President Muhammadu Buhari cleared him.

The DSS had concluded in the security report that confirming the nomination of Magu by Buhari as EFCC chairman would cause a setback for the anti-corruption drive of the current administration.

Speaking to our correspondent on Thursday, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa (Imo North) said the DSS boss should tell the Senate the circumstances surrounding the report which indicted Magu.

He said, “I am of the opinion that the DSS should write us or the director general should be invited to come and either own up or reject the report. He should tell us why an agency would issue such a security report if its content wasn’t true.”

Senator Adesoji Akanbi (Oyo South) also said not only should the DSS issue another report to clear Magu, the secret service should apologise to the Senate for misleading the lawmakers.

The lawmaker pointed out that the same agency, whose report indicted Magu, should clear him. He recalled that every senator went through security screening before being sworn in, adding that a clearance by the agency was necessary to fully become a senator.

But Senator Danjuma La’ah (Kaduna South) said the Senate would work with the first report by the DSS, without asking for a new one to clear Magu.

Punch, January 29, 2017

RipplesNigeria ….without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now