Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has debunked widespread reports that the suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu, gave him 4 billion naira from a N39 billion allegedly embezzled from recovered loots.

In a statement released on Wednesday, July 8, the Vice President said the reports are totally false and baseless. 

Eons Intelligence reported that

Magu, who is still in police custody, was temporarily relieved from his position as the Acting Chairman of the EFCC after his arrest on Monday, July 6. pending the outcome of the presidential panel investigating corruption allegations levelled against  him.

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The statement said Prof Osinbajo would not be affected by the "obvious campaigns of lies and calumny" hinting that the vice president would be pursuing a legal redress against the source of the publication. 

Also responding to the allegation, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to  Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande said the reports are lies aimed at discrediting and smearing the image of the vice president.

"Inundated by wide circulation of Fake News about VP's purported involvement in some EFCC recovery billions, pls rest assured they're all LIES: calculated to confuse and concocted to smear Prof. Osinbajo's image. The VP has'nt & will never be involved in any such shady activities," Akande said in a tweet.

Read the Vice President's response to the allegation below: 

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 today 8th July 2020, 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 Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (sic) N4 billion, after the VP gave instructions to him to release some of the recovered loots..." The same Jackson Ude has 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 Mr. Ibrahim 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.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, will of course not be distracted by these obvious campaigns of lies and calumny. The online publications, being criminally defamatory in nature, have been referred to the relevant law enforcement agencies for investigation and necessary action.