Dr
Ike Ekweremadu the deputy Senate President, yesterday, stormed the headquaters
of the Economic and financial crimes commissions (EFCC) in Abuja to visit the
detained former ministers of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Aviation and Defence, Senator Bala Mohammed, Femi Fani-Kayode and Musiliu Obanikoro as
well as the former special adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Reuben Abati.
The quartet are all chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the
Deputy Senate President’s party.
An
aide to Ekweremadu confirmed that his boss was at the EFCC and arrived the cell
at about 5.10pm in the company of a Deputy Director in the EFCC.
But,
EFCC spokesman, Wilson Ewujare said he had no knowledge of the visit.
However,
the EFCC source insisted Ekweremadu briefly had a chat with Obanikoro, Mohammed, Abati and Fani-Kayode
and urged them to remain committed to
ideals that would help grow the nation’s democracy.
“He
encouraged them to continue to pray for the good of our country,” the source
said. He further stressed “ Ekweremadu didn’t tell anybody, but I think a visit
of this nature has a hidden agenda. It may be as a result of the so called
illness of Fani-Kayode or simply to solidarise with his party members”.
Abati,
a former presidential spokesman and Bala Mohammed were arrested last Monday.
While
EFCC sources claim Abati is held over alleged N50 million he received from the
embattled former Natioal Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. Mohammed is detained
in connection with the controversial land swap programme estimated at N1
trillion and alleged phony contracts awarded to family members, cronies and fictitious
companies.
EFCC
sources said the agency was acting on petitions from the public about how he
allegedly sold government land to some individuals and collected payment in
cash.
Fani-Kayode,
who was rearrested on October 21 and will be arraigned on November 10, is
accused of money laundering. Fresh
charges against him were filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Before
now, he was standing trial before the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court
on a 17-count charge alongside former
Finance Minister, Nenadi Usman, Danjuma Yusuf and a firm, Joint Trust Dimension
Nig. Ltd.
Obanikoro,
ex-minister of state for Defence, is held over alleged N4.7 billion traced to firms linked to him.
The money is traced to the controversial $2.1 billion arms deal money.
Meanwhile,
EFCC has granted Abati administrative bail. Abati was quizzed, for allegedly
receiving some money from Dasuki.
As
part of his bail condition, Abati is “to provide a surety who must be a serving
director with landed property in Abuja.
Other
conditions attached to the bail include seizure of his passport by the court
pending the period of his trial.”
As
at yesterday night, Abati was yet to fulfill the bail conditions and still in
EFCC custody daily sun says.
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