Recovered Loot: Osinbajo Denies Receiving N4Bn from Embattled EFCC Boss, Magu

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has denied receiving a sum of N4billion from embattled acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, who is said to be on suspension as he faces probe by a presidential panel on sundry allegations bordering on corruption.

This followed reports in some online news platforms which allegedly linked the vice president to looted funds recovered by the EFCC under magu.

In a statement in Abuja, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, Laolu Akande, dismissed as false and baseless, fabrications claiming to reflect goings-on at the probe panel investigating Magu. He said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will not be distracted by campaigns of lies and calumny.

Part of the statement reads: “The attention of the Office of the Vice President has been drawn to a series of tweets and online publications by PointBlank News and Newsreel.com.ng on July 8 credited to the same person, one Jackson Ude.

“In essence, Ude’s story is that “embattled former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, allegedly embezzled over N39 billion and gave Osinabjo (sic) N4 billion, after the vice president gave instructions to him to release some of the recovered loots…

With all emphasis at our disposal, let it be firmly stated that these are totally false and baseless fabrications purporting to reflect goings-on at the probe panel investigating Magu; they are indeed completely absurd in every respect.

Sadly, such mindless, vicious and reckless publications have now become the preferred tool of unscrupulous and reprobate elements in our society who are procured with monetary inducement to peddle blatant falsehood, tarnish the image of upright public officials and mislead unsuspecting Nigerians. The Vice President will of course not be distracted by these obvious campaigns of lies and calumny”.

Akande said the same Jackson Ude had also been circulating a video on YouTube with a female commentator peddling the same lies, adding that the online publications, being criminally defamatory in nature, had been referred to the relevant law enforcement agencies for investigation and necessary action.