Court fixes Oct 10 for suit seeking Magu’s removal

A judge of the Federal High Court Abuja division, Justice Babatunde Quadri, on Thursday, fixed October 10, 2017 to hear the suit seeking an order of the court to remove Mr. Ibrahim Magu, the Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), from office.

A coalition of lawyers led by Barrister Johnmary Jideobi had filed the suit challenging the legality of Magu’s continued stay in office as Acting Chairman of EFCC after the Senate had rejected his nomination twice.

The Plaintiff had made the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation, the EFCC and Ibrahim Magu as respondents to the suit.

When the matter was called on Thursday, Mr. Mohammed Shehu, counsel to one of the respondents told the judge he was briefed Thursday morning about the matter and he needed time to study the case file which is yet to be handed over to him. He therefore asked the court for an adjournment to enable him familiarise himself with the case.

A counsel from the AGF office, Maimuna Shiru, did not oppose the adjournment as well as the plaintiff,Jideobi, who represented himself.

Consequently, Justice Quadri adjourned the matter until October 10 for hearing.

In the originating summons, the plaintiff is asking the court to make a pronouncement terminating the continuous stay of Magu as acting chairman of EFCC.

He is contending that by the statutes, Magu’s continuous stay in his Acting capacity is illegal, null and void by the fact that the Senate had rejected his appointment and that Magu’s acting capacity elapsed when the President wrote the Senate requesting for his confirmation as the substantive chairman.

But the Federal Government, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation has disclosed that it would file preliminary objections against the suit.