The Nigerian Police Force has withdrawn its officers and men deployed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC with immediate effect.
This is contained in a communication emanating from the Office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG Mobile Police at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The police personnel are to be replaced with an equal number of personnel to be deployed to the EFCC, while those withdrawn are to report to the AIG MOPOL.
The communication also barred entry to the EFCC Complex except for staff of the Commission
The development may be part of the expanded investigation of the suspended Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu who is being probed for mismanagement of assets recovered by the anti-graft agency.
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Magu has been in detention at the Force Criminal Investigating Department in Abuja since Monday where he has been held without bail.
His residence was raided and searched on Wednesday by police officers in what is considered a wider probe of his activities following a letter from the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami asking that Magu be relieved of his duties due to credibility crisis.
Magu is said to have run the agency using a select group of officers who are said to have been deploying various tactic including blackmail and who report directly to Magu alone
This latest development is an indication that the Presidential Probe Panel is widening its net into the conduct of some of those police officers known as “Magu Boys” alleged to be carrying out illicit deals on the orders of the embattled and now suspended EFCC Chairman.
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President Muhammadu Buhari had on Friday officially approved the suspension of Ibrahim Magu to allow for the Presidential Probe Panel to have access to sensitive information relating to the allegations raised in AGF’s memo.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has also ordered the immediate withdrawal of police escort attached to the suspended EFCC Acting Chairman.
(Editors: Terverr Tyav and Utibe Umoren)
