Osinbanjo Petitions IGP to Investigate Alleged N4bn From Magu
Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police IGP, Muhammad Adamu over allegations linking him to funds allegedly stolen by Economic and Financial Crime Commissions, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu
Jackson Ude,a publisher of an online platform, Pointblank News, on July 8, published that Mr Magu embezzled over #39bn recovered loot but allegedly gave VP Osinbanjo N4bn for soft landing.
In a petition dated July 8 and addressed to IGP, the Vice President through his lawyer, Taiwo Osipitan, SAN, urged the IGP to prosecute the alleged accuser, Mr Jackson Ude, for criminal defamation if investigations proved his allegations to be false.
According to Pointblanknews.com, claimed that unnamed sources within the panel investigating the suspended EFCC boss, exposed the vice president’s involvement in the scandal.
“Specifically, Magu was said to have mentioned a N4bn that he released to the VP based on directives the very day the president left the country for the United Kingdom on medical treatment, ” part of the report read. The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, had on Wednesday said there was no truth in the online report that Osinbanjo received N4bn from Magu. He described the claims as “false and baseless fabrications.”
Magu is being probed by a presidential panel over allegations of gross misconduct.
According to the VP’s letter to the IGP on Thursday, through his lawyer, said if the allegation is false after investigation, the Inspector General of Police should initiate criminal proceeding against Ude.
The letter read, “Our instruction is that the above statements published by Mr Ude are false in every material respect and same are design to injure the reputation of our client.
“Copies of the publications are hereby attached for ease of reference and necessary investigation.
“These vicious and malicious publication are meant to achieve one objective only, to represent to his readership and others (Nigerians and Foreigners) that our client is dishonest and disloyal public officer and consequently unfit for the position of Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which he is occupying.
“We are of the view that unless an action for criminal defamation is commenced against the said Mr. Jackson Use, he will continue to use his social media platform to publish materials that are false and criminally defamatory of our client’s reputation.
“In view of the above, we humbly request that you cause the above allegations, made against our client, to be investigated and if the suggested investigation confirms our complaint of the falsehood of these allegations, to initiate criminal proceedings pursuant to the provisions of Sections 391-395 of the Penal Code Act for Criminal Defamation against the said Jackson Use. “
