The Nigeria's Anti-Corruption agency the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has held a former president of the Nigerian Senate, Bukola Saraki, in custody over allegations of theft and money laundering, PREMIUM TIMES REPORTED on Saturday.
Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, a former Kwara State governor, was detained on Saturday according to the sources familiar with the development, a situation that may trigger another episode of troubles for the politician.
As the immediate ex-senate president between 2015 and 2019, Mr Saraki spent a considerable time facing allegations of corruption and false declaration of assets but was later acquitted by the Nigeria's Supreme Court in June 2018.
However, in his new case with the EFCC, it was learnt that Mr Saraki is to answer questions over alleged theft and laundering of public funds using a network of cronies and proxy companies.
The suspected proxies, who executed purported contracts for Kwara State under Mr Saraki, allegedly made returns, for many years, to the former governor, forming an organised a network of dirty money flow.
The funds involved were huge, running into hundreds of millions in naira and hundreds of thousands in foreign currencies at various times, sources said.
Anti-graft investigators have obtained a list of the proxy companies involved and analysed a pattern of suspicious transactions between them and Mr Saraki, PREMIUM TIMES reported.
According to the reports by PT, one of them has been reportedly responsible for funding Mr Saraki’s lifestyle, including paying over a hundred million to settle the bills for rent and renovation of Mr Saraki’s Maitama residence, investigation showed, based on interviews with persons familiar with the property.
Meanwhile a loyalist of Saraki, Umar Faringado Kazaure and chairman, Saraki Is Coming Door To Door Organisation, has denied the reported arrest of Saraki by the EFCC.
In a press statement on Saturday in Abuja, Faringado claimed Saraki was never arrested, saying the report about the purported arrest of the former governor of Kwara State governor was being circulated by his political detractors.
"He was never arrested by anyone. This is the handiwork of his political detractors. He was at a wedding ceremony in Abuja today (Saturday) and as I speak with you he is at home resting.
"They are just being envious of his popularity and good deeds as a political figure. This story they are peddling around is meant to embarrass him and his teeming followers but they will not succeed," Faringado said.
But according to LEADERSHIP, citing a credible source in the commission, Saraki was invited by the anti-graft agency to provide information on some issues and that the former Senate President honoured the invitation and was allowed to go home.
Also, Saraki's media adviser, Yusuph Olaniyonu, told LEADERSHIP on telephone that his principal was not arrested.
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