Nigeria anti-corruption boss suspended amid theft allegation

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has suspended the head of the country’s anti-corruption body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, who is himself being investigated for alleged corruption.

A statement from Nigeria’s Justice Minister says the suspension of Ibrahim Magu is to allow for “unhindered inquiry” into his conduct.

This is the first official confirmation of the suspension after days of rumours.

The Nigerian government has not given details of the allegations against Mr Magu but reports suggest he is being investigated for allegedly embezzling funds and assets recovered from corrupt officials.

The Nigerian authorities on Monday denied reports that he had been arrested, saying he was only invited to appear before a presidential investigative panel for questioning.

The EFCC director of operations, Mohammed Umar, has been asked to take charge of the commission pending the outcome of the investigation.

Mr Magu became the acting EFCC head in 2015 when President Buhari came to power on a promise to tackle endemic corruption in the country.

Under his leadership of the anti-graft agency, a number of senior politicians, including several former powerful state governors, have been jailed but there have been questions about the way his commission managed funds recovered from corrupt officials.

Nigeria’s Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo earlier this week denied reports that he also illegally benefited from the recovered wealth.