Mr Mohammed Umar, the Director of Operations, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is to oversee the affairs of the agency in the absence of former Acting Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Magu.
A top official of the commission who remain anonymous disclosed this to News Agency Of Nigeria (NAN).
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday suspended Magu, according to multiple sources familiar with the case.
The source, said Umar was chosen being the most senior Officer at EFCC following the reported suspension of Magu.
The official, however, said that the commission had not received any official communication on the reported suspension.
Spokesman of the EFCC, Mr Dele Oyewale, declined comments when contacted by NAN to confirm the latest development.
The embattled acting chairman is being interrogated by a presidential panel set up to probe allegations of gross misconduct against him.
Magu appeared before the Ayo Salami-led panel on Monday before he was reportedly taken into police custody.
Meanwhile, the EFCC official has defended Magu against the allegations, saying they were not true.
However, the source said his travails also emanated from complaints by staff of the commission over poor welfare and delay in promotion.
“I can tell you that all the allegations against Magu are untrue. I see the whole situation as a power play.
“Preparations for the 2023 elections are another reason they want Magu out because he knows too much.
“Another thing is the problem of staff welfare, imagine somebody like me for close to 10 years, I have not gained any promotion.
“We are not happy about the news of his suspension, but I know that members of staff are not happy with him,” the official said.
The two Abuja homes of the suspended chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, were tooth-combed by security agents on Tuesday
Operatives of State Security Service and riot policemen stormed Mr. Magu’s private home in Karu and his official residence in Maitama in Abuja.
Magu allegedly spent Monday night in police cell at the Force Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters in Area 10, Garki, Abuja and he was released to move his personal items out of the premises of the EFCC on Tuesday.
This followed his six-hour interrogation by a Presidential panel, chaired by a former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami.
The panel was constituted by President Buhari to probe various allegations levelled against Magu following a petition by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and the Department of State Service (DSS).
Malami’s memo allegedly accused Magu of diversion of recovered loot.
The memo was said to contain 22 allegations against the embattled EFCC chairman.