Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice of Nigeria, Abubakar Malami, has called a meeting of law enforcement agencies to make plans on how to obtain for himself a vessel sold by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission under former Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, SaharaReporters has learnt.
It was gathered that Malami convened a meeting involving top officials of the Nigerian Navy, Department of State Services, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission and the EFCC specifically requesting for files of EFCC recoveries particularly those related to vessels.
This latest move is part of efforts by Malami to take over operations of the EFCC.
Recall that Malami had orchestrated the sacking of Magu and some key officials of the commission.
An informed source, who spoke with SaharaReporters, said the office of the AGF had previously attempted to usurp the powers of the EFCC and other law enforcement agencies with respect to the sale of forfeited assets with an illegal directive giving power of coordinating the sale and management of forfeited assets to his office.
“Contrary to public display of coordinating concern by the Attorney General’s office, the underlying interest was percentage from this sale for Malami and his contractor lawyer friends.
“Malami had two years ago granted authority to his main partners and fronts in the assets recovery to sell a vessel already forfeited to the government by the EFCC.
“Without any authorisation or coordination with EFCC, Mr Okpeseyi (SAN), sold the vessel for N153m and collected all possible commissions,” the source said.
It was, however, revealed that the Navy refused to release the vessel, as due process was not followed in its selling by Malami and his associates.
Desperate to ensure the retrieval of the vessel for himself and his client, Malami summoned the meeting.
Some of the top officials are, however, insisting that Malami followed due process in overseeing other agencies in the country.
“Under the law, the constitution is supreme and it is followed by any enactment of the National Assembly.
“A directive or regulation like the AGF’s regulation on the assets recovery remains illegal in the face of conflict with an Act of parliament like EFCC Act.
“Some of us are dogged to ensure the enforcement of his directive on assets recovery and control over the dissipation,” the source stated.
SaharaReporters had in series of reports revealed how Malami has been controlling the presidential panel investigating the EFCC to suspend Magu and staff of the commission reportedly loyal to him.
In what has turned to a vendetta mission, Malami removed from office suspected staff of the commission handing out vital information to the online news publication to expose his corruption-fuelled lifestyle.
In a desperate attempt to save face in light of the magnitude of the revelation that had been blown open, a group said to have been sponsored by the AGF staged a press conference in Abuja recently and made futile efforts to debunk the series of reports by SaharaReporters on Malami.
SAHARA REPORTERS