Osinbajo denies collecting N4bn from embattled EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu

…Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says he did not collect N4bn from Magu, describes allegations as baseless

Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has said that online reports allegedly linking him with the embattled Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, for collecting N4billion are false and unsubstantiated fabrications.

He said the rumors from two online publications are “obvious campaigns of lies and calumny” against him and his dignified office.

The reports flooded Twitter on Wednesday as some users spread the baseless information online.

According to the reports, Magu told the presidential panel interrogating him he gave N4bn to Vice President Osinbajo when he asked him to release portion of the retrieved loot.

The Vice President, in a statement issued on Wednesday night by his spokesman, Laolu Akande, said he would not be preoccupied by what he described as “blatant falsehood.”

Read also: Magu: 3 major reasons Buhari suspended EFCC boss

Osinbajo said the publications have been mentioned to the relevant law enforcement agencies to probe the “defamatory” contents they contain.

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 today 8th July 2020, 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 Vice President Yemi Osinabjo (sic) N4 billion, after the VP gave instructions to him to release some of the recovered loots…” The same Jackson Ude has also been circulating a video on YouTube with a female commentator, peddling the same lies.

“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 Mr Ibrahim 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.

“Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, will of course not be distracted by these obvious campaigns of lies and calumny. The online publications, being criminally defamatory in nature, have been referred to the relevant law enforcement agencies for investigation and necessary action.”