Alleged N50bn scam: EFCC arrests Lawal, ex-Works Minister

NewsFeb 11, 2011

By EMMAN OVUAKPORIE
ABUJA — THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, arrested Dr Hassan Lawal, a former Minister of Works in late President Umoru Yar’Adua administration over an alleged N50 billion scam bordering on money laundering and gross neglect to the tenets of due process in the transaction of government business
Lawal, who was arrested in the early hours of yesterday, was said to have been playing a hide and seek game with the operatives of the anti-graft agency since he was placed on the watch list last year.
It was reliably gathered that Lawal allegedly perpetrated massive fraud, gross abuse of office, monumental financial recklessness and indiscriminate award of contracts to allies and cronies.
It was further revealed that he also allegedly awarded contracts to unregistered companies running into over N50 billion.
Operatives are said to be on the trail of the companies used to allegedly commit the financial crime.
While Lawal remains in the custody of the anti-graft agency, operatives are leaving nothing to chance to bring his alleged fellow financial crime perpetrators to book.
Contacted, Head, Media and Publicity, of the commission, Mr Femi Babafemi, confirmed that the former Minister was in the net of the commission but refused to make any comment on the issue.
Hassan, a founding member of the PDP in Nasarawa State recently explained to reporters after his defection that even though he was elected by his local government as delegate to the presidential election of the PDP, his name was arbitrarily replaced.
He was reported to have pledged to pull the same string he pulled to contribute to the victory of the governor, Aliyu Akwe Doma, in 2007 to support the CPC governorship candidate, Umaru Tako Al_Makura, in the April election.

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