EFCC Director Drags Magu To Court Over Allegation Of Wrongful Demotion

Mr. Ayo Olowonihi, a former commandant of the Academy of
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has dragged Ibrahim
Magu, the acting chairman of the anti-graft agency to National
Industrial Court over allegations of wrongful demotion.

In the suit filed at Abuja division, of NIC, Olowonihi asked the
court to declare his demotion as well as the processes that led to
it as illegal and void.

The complainant said Magu demoted him from the Office of
Commandant of EFCC Academy and redeployed him even while he was
still being interrogated over allegations leveled against him.

The complainant said his troubles began on November 19, 2015,
when the EFCC Chairman called him into his office and accused him
of being behind certain publications on the activities of the
Commission and against his person.

He added that in the course of interrogation, his official
computer was withdrawn and his two phones were taken away.

The complainant added that his office was thoroughly searched by
a team of detectives and policemen before it was sealed up.

Olowonihi added that on December 22, 2015, he received a query
accusing him of breaching certain sections of the Commission’s
Staff Regulation Handbook, but he refuted that allegation in answer
to the query the same day.

But the complainant said he was shocked when he was also served
a letter of indefinite suspension from work without pay with
immediate effect on the same day.

He added that on November 16, 2017, he was given a letter of
reinstatement in which he was also demoted and was ordered to
forfeit his salaries and emoluments over claims that the Senior
Staff Promotions and Disciplinary Committee have found him guilty
of breach of confidence.

Olowonihi said he rejected the conditions attached to the
reinstatement in his reply to the letter two days later.

The complainant said he rejected the terms of reinstatement
because he was never called upon by the committee to defend himself
against the purported allegations or any other misconduct.

He maintained that the commission Staff Regulation Handbook
2007, which served as the legal instrument that was used to back
his questioning, demotion, forfeiture, and reinstatement, has not
been ratified by the Commission or its Board.

Olowonihi further argued that only the Commission has
disciplinary powers over a management staff since the said
Commission/Board has not been constituted by the federal government
since 2015.

After a series of cross-examination, the Counsel to Magu, Mr,
Ibrahim Audu, asked the court to adjourn the hearing to enable him
to prepare the defense of his client.

Justice Kadu, therefore, fixed April 30, 2018, as the date for
the continuation of the trial.

Mr. Ayo Olowonihi, a former commandant of the Academy of
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has dragged Ibrahim
Magu, the acting chairman of the anti-graft agency to National
Industrial Court over allegations of wrongful demotion.

In the suit filed at Abuja division, of NIC, Olowonihi asked the
court to declare his demotion as well as the processes that led to
it as illegal and void.

The complainant said Magu demoted him from the Office of
Commandant of EFCC Academy and redeployed him even while he was
still being interrogated over allegations leveled against him.

The complainant said his troubles began on November 19, 2015,
when the EFCC Chairman called him into his office and accused him
of being behind certain publications on the activities of the
Commission and against his person.

He added that in the course of interrogation, his official
computer was withdrawn and his two phones were taken away.

The complainant added that his office was thoroughly searched by
a team of detectives and policemen before it was sealed up.

Olowonihi added that on December 22, 2015, he received a query
accusing him of breaching certain sections of the Commission’s
Staff Regulation Handbook, but he refuted that allegation in answer
to the query the same day.

But the complainant said he was shocked when he was also served
a letter of indefinite suspension from work without pay with
immediate effect on the same day.

He added that on November 16, 2017, he was given a letter of
reinstatement in which he was also demoted and was ordered to
forfeit his salaries and emoluments over claims that the Senior
Staff Promotions and Disciplinary Committee have found him guilty
of breach of confidence.

Olowonihi said he rejected the conditions attached to the
reinstatement in his reply to the letter two days later.

The complainant said he rejected the terms of reinstatement
because he was never called upon by the committee to defend himself
against the purported allegations or any other misconduct.

He maintained that the commission Staff Regulation Handbook
2007, which served as the legal instrument that was used to back
his questioning, demotion, forfeiture, and reinstatement, has not
been ratified by the Commission or its Board.

Olowonihi further argued that only the Commission has
disciplinary powers over a management staff since the said
Commission/Board has not been constituted by the federal government
since 2015.

After a series of cross-examination, the Counsel to Magu, Mr,
Ibrahim Audu, asked the court to adjourn the hearing to enable him
to prepare the defense of his client.

Justice Kadu, therefore, fixed April 30, 2018, as the date for
the continuation of the trial.