TheCable

Mohammed Umar, director of operations at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has been named acting chairman of the agency, according to NAN.

The official news agency of the federal government said a top official of the commission confirmed that Umar has taken charge of the agency in the absence of Ibrahim Magu.

In operational hierarchy and by convention, the director of operations is next to the chairman.

Magu was arrested on Monday and whisked to the presidential villa in Abuja where he was grilled by a panel set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the EFCC.

The panel is led by Ayo Salami, retired president of the appeal court.

Umar’s appointment confirms the suspension of Magu as earlier reported by TheCable.

Suspensions are usually imposed on chief executives under probe to avoid interference with investigations.

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 selling seized assets to associates.

He was also alleged to have refused to subject himself to the supervision of the office of the attorney-general.

Security operatives searched the residence of Magu in Karu, federal capital territory (FCT) late Tuesday while his personal belongings were moved out of his official residence in the Maitama area of the nation’s capital.

A family source said the security operatives who carried out the operation found nothing incriminating in the house but they left with some documents.

Since his arrest, Magu  has spent the nights at area 10 force criminal investigation department (FCID) of the police in Abuja.