TheCable

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have blocked journalists from the banquet hall of the presidential villa, where Ibrahim Magu is being interrogated by the Justice Ayo Salami panel.

The acting EFCC chairman was whisked away by a combined team of DSS operatives and officers from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) on Monday and then taken before the panel.

The DSS later issued a statement denying involvement — while EFCC said Magu voluntarily went to honour the panel’s invitation.

Salami, former president of the court of appeal, is heading the panel probing allegations made against Magu by Abubakar Malami, the attorney-general of the federation.

Reporters covering the presidency went to the hall where Magu is being grilled but were turned back.

When the reporters walked to the conference center, five DSS operatives dressed in black were seen seated outside the hall.

One of the security operatives approached them and said: “You people should excuse the use of this place for today.”

Magu’s session with the panel comes a few days after Malami accused the anti-graft czar of gross infractions.

The AGF asked the president to sack Magu over some “weighty” allegations, including the diversion of recovered loot.

In addition to allegedly re-looting the recovered loot, Malami accused the acting EFCC chairman of insubordination and misconduct.

In 2016, the senate declined to confirm the appointment of Magu as EFCC chairman after a DSS report indicted him of corruption.