Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arrested the former minister of works and housing, Hassan Lawal, in his home in Asokoro, Abuja, in connection with fraudulent activities currently pegged at over N50 billion.

An operative of the anti-graft agency told NEXT that the commission is currently carrying out the second phase of investigation into the fraudulent activities of the former minister who served in two different offices between 2004 and 2010.

“There are currently two different phases of investigations against this man. One has been on-going for some time now, the second one has just begun. Most of the investigations border on fraudulent award of contracts to unregistered companies. Most of the contracts had to do with road contracts and the sale of federal government houses,” a source in the EFCC, who pleaded anonymity said in Abuja.

The spokesman of the anti-graft agency , Femi Babafemi, says that Mr.Lawal is currently in the custody of the commission, however he declined to speak on what possible date the accused will be arraigned. Our source however revealed that the commission is currently working to uncover and arrest other persons who might have collaborated with the former minister. The charges against the former minister are high degree of massive fraud, abuse of office, abuse of government laid down policy on due process and award of contracts to unregistered companies’.Mr. Lawal served as the Minister of Labour and Productivity from 2004 to 2007. He then served as the Minister for Works and Housing from 2008 to 2010.

Source: http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5676381-146/story.csp

these guys dey thief too much now! haba!! i no say make dem no chop, but make dem do am with sense! wetin be N50 billion??

See how our money is going. .only God knows how much is bn stolen presently!

I expected this since he de-camped from PDP to CPC a couple of days back.

If he had remained in PDP, he wont be in this mess now. That is why some of us just dont believe in this useless EFCC.

Well, this is just another rubbish. Why did they not arrest Uduaghan when he was kicked out of office for fruadulently occupying government house in Delta state , and making off with 10 times that amount.

Efcc is just a bloody joke

Good news! One less thief in the country. However, there needs to be renewed and sustained pressure on the criminals tha think they can steal with impunity.

Abagworo:

I expected this since he de-camped from PDP to CPC a couple of days back.

Funny claim. Is he the only one to have left PDP?
Anyways, PDP seems to be doing a good job of purging bad practices out of its system and the party has been haemorrhaging criminals who are fleeing to parties with lesser morals.

Selective corruption fight mago mago

who are these people  fooling ?

fact remains - Jonathan Odechukuw is still inept and corrupt

The man will only be respected when hand his wife to the local abuja police station -  for money laundering charges.

When is EFCC going to arrest Anenih ?

~Bluetooth:

When is EFCC going to arrest Anenih ?

When he decamps to Apga or Acn. When OBJ was using Ribadu i shouted time and time without number but people wouldn't listern. Now GJ is doing the same thing. Good for Nigeria and Nigerians.

~Bluetooth:

When is EFCC going to arrest Anenih ?

not in the near future ,he is still mr. fix remember?

Nigerians with double tongues. So if a corrupt act is uncovered, the efcc shldn't perform her constitutional role?

Nsiman:

Nigerians with double tongues. So if a corrupt act is uncovered, the efcc shldn't perform her constitutional role?

you can do better

Nigerians with double tongues. So if a corrupt act is uncovered, the efcc shldn't perform her constitutional role?

blacksta:

Selective corruption fight mago mago

who are these people  fooling ?

fact remains - Jonathan Odechukuw is still inept and corrupt

The man will only be respected when hand his wife to the local abuja police station -  for money laundering charges.

Your obsession with Jonathan has turned from amusing to slightly worrying. Corrupt ministers are allowed to continue as usual, you whine, Minister is brought into custody due to corruption you whine. Its hard to take your posts seriously to be honest since your mind already seems to be made up. Funny

With regards to the topic. What seems to be the undoing of the EFCC in the past has been poorly assembled cases which tend to be quashed by the courts. Until he is succesfully prosecuted one can only look at this news with cautious optimism.