‘I Regret Heading Buhari’s Panel Probing Magu’ – Justice Salami

Justice Ayo Salami said he regrets heading the presidential panel set up to investigate Ibrahim Magu’s tenure as EFCC chairperson, two lawyers present when the jurist allegedly made the statement.

Mr Salami stated this on Friday at the close of Mr Magu’s defence hearing held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja

The panel, headed by Mr Salami, a former President of the Appeal Court, is investigating allegations of corruption and insubordination following complaints by the attorney general of the federation, Abubakar Malami, which led to Mr Magu’s suspension from his EFCC role.

The sitting of the panel has been held behind closed doors with journalists barred from attending. Journalists have, therefore, relied on lawyers and witnesses who appear before the panel to get details of what transpired.

Civil rights organisations and activists have demanded that the sitting of the panel be made public for the sake of transparency and fairness. However, such calls have been ignored.

Speaking in separate interviews, two lawyers to Mr Magu who were at Friday’s sitting, Tosin Ojaoma and Zainab Abiola, said before the commencement of the proceedings, Mr Salami told them that he regrets accepting the task to chair the panel.

“We all sat down as lawyers, after a little period, Justice salami said he regretted working in this panel.

“As soon as the proceedings opened, Salami was full of regrets, he (Salami) brought out his handkerchief and said he is full of regret taking up the job. Then our team asked him, is it because the panel is yet to find evidence against our client, (Magu), Mr Salami did not respond he only kept saying he regrets taking up the job,” Mrs Abiola said.