Before his appointment as Nigeria’s new anti-corruption czar, Ibrahim Magu was a known face at one of the newspaper stands at Karu Site, a suburb of Abuja.
Free readers who converge at the newsstand, whom he often engaged in discussions any time he stopped by, shared their thoughts about Magu, whose real profession was unknown to them.
Newspaper readers in Karu Site, the Abuja suburb recently woke up to the shock that a regular caller at the newsstand where they usually met daily to read news headlines and discuss topical issues in the polity, had been named the new Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
What was even more shocking to them was that the stealthy Ibrahim Magu, who often engaged in heated debates with them, never gave an inkling about his job.
Indeed, when the news hit the airwaves that President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Assistant Commissioner of Police Magu as the acting Chairman of EFCC, many of those he associated with, but who didn’t know his name, especially those around Karu, received the news just as one of the many news items they would discuss the next day.
But to their chagrin, the photograph of the new EFCC boss was that of a regular face who only few days previously shared a space with them in the morning to argue points in friendly discusions.
“Nothing about his mien gave him away as a senior police officer,” one said.
Every morning, as vendors set out to their respective newsstands, Magu also goes for his usual morning jog which culminates at the Mazfallah Shopping Plaza, to catch the latest news in the country.
After getting his favourite newspapers, Magu would take a position and read a few lines and then listen to arguments by the free readers who are known to discuss and argue heatedly.
Referred to as Free Readers Association (FRA), a nomenclature that has now found its place at most newspaper stands across Nigeria, the readers argue and match each other word for word on the news headlines.
Drawn into the arguments, Magu would join in the debate and argue his points out.
Unknown to many members of the popular FRA, Ibrahim Magu is not just another man seeking to make his opinion known but an anti-corruption czar.
As early as 6:30 am, the Mazfallah newspaper stand is usually filled with several readers who even before the vendors arrive, discuss various national issues.
The presence of the free readers is a regular feature at Karu Site roundabout between 6:30 and 11am all week. No topic is sacrosanct, everybody introduces any comment on any newsworthy headline.
“No, Nigeria is sliding into recession; it is the making of the defeated PDP,” a furious reader replied his compatriot who, after reading a news item believed the current APC government was not doing enough in the economic sector.
“You don’t know what you are saying, read the story well,” another fires back.
A middle-aged man screamed, “I said it; they will not pay that N5,000 per month to the vulnerable poor.”
“What do you mean, the government is mopping up all the stolen monies? You see what is happening now with the TSA, government is working,” replied an old man who is already charged for the mouth fight.
This is the scene Ibrahim Magu is often faced with when he visits the Karu Site newspaper stand very close to his residence.
Amidst all the noisy brouhaha, none of the readers ever knew that one of their own, an ardent reader in the person of the new EFCC boss, who sometimes fights to get a space to read his favourite newspaper was an important national personality.
A vendor at the newsstand, who craved anonymity, said the new anti-graft boss had a preference for discusions of news about security but that never gave him away as a law enforcement officer.
“He comes here often to buy newspapers and even stays back to engage in discussions with other readers who congverge here,” he said.
Asked if Magu gives him tips when he comes to his stand, the vendor said, “He’s a nice man, but he never leaves his change.”
“It’s unbelievable that this man that buys paper every morning and sometimes argues with us is a police officer and even works with EFCC,” another ardent reader at the newsstand, Uche Okafor said.
Readers said Magu is a regular caller at the newsstand and an ardent reader whose face is well-known to them.
“He comes in here after his morning walks to buy newspapers and also engages in debates over certain news headlines with readers. He tries to make his points known about national issues,” said Michael Olu.
On days he didn’t stop by the newsstand, he would wave at them while driving past.
“None of us had an idea of where Magu works. He just comes in the morning in casual wears, sometimes in his jogging suits and picks newspapers. We see him as a strict man but at the same time jovial in his approach to issues discussed,” said Ogwu Agwa.
They were therefore shocked when they opened the papers the day after his appointment to find his picture in almost every newspaper.
“My God! Wonders shall never end,” said a reader, who couldn’t believe that ‘big men’ do come to their spot for a glimpse of happenings.
Justine Odozuwe described Magu as an easy going man who chips in one or two points in a debate and leaves for his house.
“I never knew he was a senior police officer up to assistant commissioner of police. I was shocked to know that the new EFCC boss was the man I knew well here,” Odozuwe said.
Another reader said besides knowing him as an ardent reader of newspapers, Magu does not socialise much in his community.
“Besides seeing him at the Mosque close to his house, he doesn’t engage himself much in other things,” he said.
He also said he recently noticed an unusual presence of security men at Magu’s residence but he could not place a reason for the development.
The photograph of Magu in all the major dailies a day after President Buhari replaced Ibrahim Lamorde with Ibrahim Magu as EFCC boss solved the puzzle.
An observation tour of Karu Site where Magu lives, the presence of stern-looking security officers on one of the streets was telling that there was a very important personality around there now.
Magu lives in a moderate duplex not of modern design in particular, but neat. The road to his residence is bumpy and dusty, and can best be described as deplorable.
Though the residents of that area can be placed as middle class, even with the dearth of infrastructure that is very glaring, some neighbours described the new EFFC boss as a very unassuming man that chooses moderation.
“I see him sometimes with his children walking down the road and exchanging pleasantries with neighbours, and nothing more. In fact, when the news filtered in that a new man had taken up the job at EFCC, I took it as normal news; but I was very surprised that my quiet neighbour was the same Ibrahim Magu,” a neighbour said.
A handyman who claimed he once did some work at Magu’s residence also said he finds it difficult to believe that the man that invited him to do some jobs for him was such a highly influential personality.
Speaking of his personality, the handyman described him as a nice but firm man, who doesn’t tolerate shoddy handling of his jobs.
“He’s a nice and disciplined man. You don’t joke with his jobs,” he said.
At the nearby Mosque where Ibrahim Magu prays, some worshipers said the EFCC boss is an ardent Muslim who rarely misses prayer sessions.
“He comes here and we pray together but little of us knew his profession. We are proud of him and I heard plans are under way to pay him a congratulatory visit,” one of the worshippers said.
“He is just an ordinary man with no penchant for luxury; we see him walk along the street in simple track suits with his children and he has never had issues with people around,” a man who simply gave his name as Abba said.
Members of the FRA, Karu Site are still trying to come to terms with the reality of Magu being not just a senior police officer who loves newspapers, but the new EFCC boss that was so stealthy that none of them knew him beyond the newspaper stand.
They expressed joy at his new status but said they will miss him, pointing out that since his elevation; he had not stopped by the newsstand.
“We have not seen him around this place now that he is Oga at the top. But we are proud of him and he should also make us proud by working well for the nation,” a reader advised.
-Leadership
