Expect surprises from Magu’s probe, Garba Shehu tells Nigerians

Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, has asked Nigerians to be prepared for surprises in the probe of Ibrahim Magu, former acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

President Muhammadu Buhari had set up a panel headed by Ayo Salami, former president of the appeal court, to probe the EFCC under Magu.

The panel had invited Magu on different occasions and after he reportedly failed to honour the summons.

He was eventually arrested and whisked to the presidential villa in Abuja to answer questions on alleged abuse of office and corruption.

Magu’s travails followed a memo by Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), in which the suspended anti-graft czar was accused of grave malfeasance.

He was alleged to have mishandled the recovered loot and to have sold seized assets to his associates.

Magu was detained at the area 10 force criminal investigation department (FCID) in Abuja for 10 days before he was released.

Speaking through Wahab Shittu, his counsel, Magu had said he is prepared to face the panel but insisted that the allegations were false.

But when he appeared on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Shehu said the presidency had been receiving some updates from the panel, adding that the findings would surprise Nigerians.

“I guess this is a question for the Justice Ayo Salami panel and I must say that panel is composed of some of this country’s most honoured people with integrity who will do the right thing,” he said.

“I am not going to pre-empt the panel investigation but I just advice Nigerians to hold their hearts in their hands. By the time they are done with this job and they come out with the reports prepare yourselves for surprises.

“I don’t know what will come out but if the sense we are getting from what is being done over there is anything to go by, I think that Nigerians should not be confused by any outbursts by anybody.”