#FakeNews: Again, New Holes Found in Sahara Reporters Story*

Several questions have come up regarding Sahara Reporters recent story entitled “Buhari Writes UK's Serious Fraud Office Asking Them To Probe How Saraki, Ekweremadu Acquired £15million, And £4m London Homes.”

The article in question falsely alleges that “The United Kingdom's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) […] is on the verge on launching an investigation under the Unexplained Wealth Order into how the Messrs after receiving a letter from the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu, President and Deputy President of the Senate respectively, acquired pricey landed properties in the United Kingdom.”

However, due to the penchant of the New York-based platform to publish Fake News, investigations have revealed that there are multiple holes in Sahara Reporters story.

*Hole Number 1:*

The story cites two UK properties “valued at about £15million” and claims that unnamed “Sources at the SFO told SaharaReporters” that these properties, namely No. 7 and 8 Whittaker Street, Belgravia, London are to be investigated.

However, it is public knowledge that in the Senate President's ongoing case at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), the source of the funding has been revealed as a loan from GT Bank.

*Hole Number 2:*

Saraki’s code of conduct form confirms that these properties were not bought for £15 million as claimed by the online gossip tabloid, but for £4million in 2002 through a mortgage.

*Hole Number 3:*

Is the fact that it is the current value of the property that is pegged at £15million. From the ongoing CCT case, it is clear that the Senate President took a loan in 2011/12 to pay off the balance.

*Hole Number 4:*

Sahara Reporters further alleges that “The SFO source said they have received encouraging cooperation from the Buhari regime explaining that the aforementioned politicians couldn't have afforded the properties through lawful means,” however, based on it mode of operations, if Sahara Reporters did in fact have any source who spoke about a letter, it would have published the letter in question. Finally, it is a well-known fact that unlike in Nigeria, it is against the practice of law enforcement agencies to comment on ongoing cases.

OK na,