Probe: Magu did not give Osinbajo N4billion – Aide; Says VP will not be distracted by campaigns of lies, calumny

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Abuja, July 9, 2020

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will not be distracted by campaigns of lies and calumny.

Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President has said.

Akande, in a statement in Abuja, dismissed as false and baseless fabrications claiming to reflect goings-on at the probe panel investigating Mr Ibrahim Magu.

Magu, the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is being probed by a Presidential Investigation Committee over alleged malpractices and abuse of office.

“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 on July 8 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 Osinabjo (sic) N4 billion, after the vice president gave instructions to him to release some of the recovered loots…”

He said the same Jackson Ude had 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 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.

“The Vice President will of course not be distracted by these obvious campaigns of lies and calumny,’’ he said.

He said that the online publications, being criminally defamatory in nature, had been referred to the relevant law enforcement agencies for investigation and necessary action.