[size=14pt]'How Teenagers With U.S.$9.7 Million Were Arrested At MMA'[/size]

Abuja — Inter-security agencies rivalry may soon see the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) colliding with the Nigeria Police and the State Security Service (SSS) following delayed expectation that suspected teenagers arrested during the interception of $10million and 1million Euro cash last week at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, (MMIA) are yet to be handed over to the anti-graft agency.

The EFCC as an agency is charged with responsibility of overseeing issues that fall within money laundering, terrorism financing and others.

Already, a panel has been set up the leadership of the EFCC but the suspects said to have been transferred from Lagos to Abuja for further interrogation by the arresting security operatives are yet to be seen.

Daily Champion gathered yesterday that the probe panel set up to urgently look into the matter and take appropriate action and see how such ugly occurrences are nipped in the bud is patiently waiting for the police to release the teenagers.

It has been widely reported that a team of policemen and SSS had intercepted the money during a routine check at the International Wing of MMIA last Friday.

However, the commission said it was under its purview to look into such matters that border on money laundering or terrorism financing as efforts are already geared towards getting the sponsors of the teenagers who are suspected to be money bags who must have been sponsoring mayhem in some parts of the country.

But the source complained that any further delay to release the suspects for routine questioning might jeopardise the investigations into the matter "which you know very well could lead to stories as to the whereabouts of the cash."

"We are not taking chances as this discovery may lead to further discoveries that must have been covered previously by some unknown persons as in the past such cases were heard but investigations ended without reports to government."

The probe panel set up last weekend is expected to speed up investigations into the matter and make appropriate report to the right quarters without any delay.

Head, Media and Publicity Unit of EFCC, Femi Babafemi said the panel is patiently waiting for the suspects to enable them commence work immediately.