The embattled Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu, who is under investigation by a presidential panel, has requested bail from custody.
He has spent the fourth day at the Force Criminal investigation Department (FCID).
Magu has been detained at the FCID since Monday when he first appeared before the panel.
The presidential panel is probing Magu for allegations of misconduct levelled against him by Minister of Justice and Attorney-General Abubakar Malami.
It was gathered that lawyers defending Magu made an oral submission for his bail.
They pleaded with the committee to prevail on Inspector-General of Police to release Magu on bail because it is his fundamental right.
A source said “At the sitting of the panel, Magu’s counsel applied for bail. Since the panel did not order his detention, it advised the lawyers to address their request to Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu.
“Although a member said the Chairman of the panel could act on the panel, however, said it is the IG’s responsibility.
The lawyer argued that “apart from being on the grounds of fundamental human rights, the application for bail was borne out of Magu being a senior police officer.
“Ordinarily, Magu ought to be detained at the Police Officers Mess pending the conclusion of investigation not behind the counters as the case is at the moment.
“On his first day in FCID custody, he slept on a chair throughout the night. He opted to stay in a cell but he was asked to sleep in an office. For safety reasons, he chose to sleep on a chair.”
“Magu is appearing before a fact-finding panel, there is no justification for detaining him,” his counsel said.
Following the counsel’s submission, members of the committee, according to sources, asked Magu and his counsel to leave the hearing room for some minutes.
But no decision was taken on the bail request.
Magu also denied giving N4billion to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
