EFCC: Magu's Probe Takes New Twist As Panel Reopens ex-IG Tafa's Case



The Presidential Panel investigating the administration of the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has re-opened the case of a former Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun.

The Source Reporters recalls that Tafa Balogun was convicted in 2005 on eight charges of corruption.

It was gathered that the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel had invited a former Assistant General Manager and Head of the Abuja branch of the defunct Fountain Trust Bank, Mr Francis Ajala, who was declared wanted by the EFCC in 2008 for being Tafa's accomplice.

Magu, it was learnt, played a key role in the probe of Tafa and seizure of assets when he was in the Economic Governance Unit of the commission.

According to a top source in the Salami-led panel, Ajala claimed that some of the properties seized by the EFCC and labelled as belonging to Tafa actually belonged to him.

"The panel invited Ajala, who was declared wanted by the EFCC in 2008 and has not yet been cleared of all allegations. Ajala said some properties in Ikoyi and Victoria Island which were seized from Tafa actually belong to him," he told The Punch.

Among the houses that were seized from Tafa were a block of six (no.) three-bedroom flats located at No. 9, Olusegun Aina Street, Park View Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos State; five-bedroom detached house plus boys quarters at Plot J54B, Victoria Garden City, Ajah, Lagos and a six-bedroom detached house + club house + guest chalet + boys quarters situated at No. 12, Ikoyi Crescent, Lagos.

Others were a five-bedroom detached house at Plot Z220, Suez Crescent, Wuse Zone 4 (Sani Abacha Estate), Abuja; eight (no.) five-bedroom flats at Plot 110, Tunis Street, Zone 6, Abuja and two (no.) five-bedroom detached house at Plot 1471, Justice Mamman Nasir Street, Asokoro, Abuja, among others.

Ibrahim Magu's lawyer, Tosin Ojaomo, also confirmed the latest probed to The Punch on Thursday.

"The panel was given terms of reference by the President and the probe is meant to be between 2015 and 2020. But the panel is now on a fishing expedition because it cannot find anything against Magu.

"Magu has never been in charge of disposal of assets and he has stated this repeatedly," he said.