it is the highest profile arrest yet

we are used to arrests. we want something new like releasing this man to us to express our frustrations on their stealing. we need something different from 2 months imprisonment for those that steal billions.
fresh air and change 2011. we want to kill bank ole. give us his head pls jonathan. if jonathan is a criminal like the past govt, he will not do anything against bank ole but if he is clean, he will do something that will discourage future criminals. WE ARE SERIOUSLY WAITING TO SEE.

@enyojo please, live @Wizardofoz alone. My sister enyojo, when you see SANE minds behaving insane, then, you will know that, the GEJ deception has eating deep into many. Wizardofoz has taken over the place of Beaf of castigating Jonathan's opposers. They can never see any thing wrong on the present system.

Banky nothing do you, just smile for d camera, next week you go don get bail, case don die, we go shout abuse talk, u go become minster or senator even Governor, Nothing do you> all of you shouting and cursing save ur energy jare

Refreshing.

Saharareporters exclusively broke the news that the EFCC investigators had linked Mr Speaker to an account at the United Banker of Africa (UBA) through which the outgoing speaker had laundered about $1 billion.

Nigerian Banks sha, they are the biggest thieves and crooks

Wizardofoz:


If you go off tangent again, I will m/a/s/tu/rba/te non stop all day long. Please dont do this to me.
I am trying, but please quit going off tangents, makes you come off as though you were suffering from some mental issues

Where is this guy Wizardofoz??

In your post in blue, you accuse me of not sticking to topic and going off point.
In your post in Red, you went farrr off tangent by threatening me that you will download non-stop!

Take am easy. As an elder sister (ofcourse yes), I'd advise u to marry if e tire u.

.

Pride, truly, goes b4 a fall. This bank ole, nay bank robber, tot he was god. If u recall hw he was dealing wt Dino u wl think he is cast in iron. Even though the humiliation may not last long I blv he deserves to be put away 4 sm time.

Many Questions 4 him:

(1) Is he authorized 2 jack up the allowance of the legislators?
(2) Do they really deserve what they were getting even b4 the caterpulting?
(3) Why did d EFCC hv 2 wait 4 so long b4 intervening?
(4) Are those lawmaking robbers not expected 2 cough out these stolen monies?
(5) Cant a mechanism be put in place 2 stop these swindles?
(6) Is it proper 2 exclude d press in any of their activities?
(7) How will recent revelations affect d new crop of leadership in the 7th house?

Please let the income, wages & fiscal commission let us know whats the correct salary of these legislators. The earlier the better

@Wizardofoz, come and defend your Bankole now now.

Bankole opens up in detention
On June 7, 2011 · In Headlines

By Clifford Ndujihe, with agency report, Oscarline Onwuemenyi, EMMAN OVUAKPORIE & ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

ABUJA— EMBATTLED former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, who was arrested, Sunday, by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, opened up, yesterday.

Hon. Dimeji Bankole and EFCC boos, Mrs. Farida Waziri

Vanguard learnt that he has started mentioning names after being grilled for more than 12 hours by the anti-graft agency over alleged financial impropriety in the House of Representatives during his tenure which ended last week.

The former speaker was said to have refused to cooperate with the commission for more than twelve hours between Sunday evening and yesterday morning when he was requested to write a statement on what he knew about the allegations against him. But when he was brought out from his cell yesterday morning and he saw that the anti-graft agency meant business, he became sober and started to tell his story.

Meanwhile, Vanguard learnt that the agency was yesterday trying to secure a remand order that would enable it to keep Bankole in custody for a week while he is being interrogated. It had earlier got an order from a magistrate court in the Federal Capital Territory to carry out a search on all his known property.

Intensive search on property

A highly placed source at the EFCC said: “This morning our operatives undertook an intensive search of all property known to belong to the former speaker in Abuja. The warrant also covers his other property in Lagos and Abeokuta, in Ogun State.”

Although he didn’t state where the property were located in the various cities in the country, but one of these would be the mansion on No. 8 Richard Clapperton Street, in Asokoro, where the former speaker was arrested by EFCC operatives the previous night.

The source added that the search by the EFCC was to unearth documents and files that would help the Commission in its efforts to prosecute Bankole for numerous financial and economic misappropriations during his tenure as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He added: “It’s a normal investigative procedure performed for such a high profile investigation by the Commission, and our officers took away from his house some documents and files that we believe will enable us to build a credible case against the suspect when we finally charge him to court.”

The commission has also seized his travel documents to prevent him from jetting out of the country.
Meanwhile, Bankole is said to be undergoing “thorough grilling” at the hands of EFCC interrogators who are trying to establish his role in alleged numerous financial misconduct while he served as the number four citizen.

Response to text messages

EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Babafemi, confirmed in text message response to questions posed by our correspondent that the former speaker was undergoing interrogations at one of the cells at the Commission’s headquarters.

Babafemi said: “He is still being interrogated, while we have got a warrant to search his property.” He, however, refused to comment on when Bankole could possibly be charged to court to face legal action for his alleged role in financial misconduct in the House of Representatives.

The EFCC arrested the former speaker at his residence in Asokoro, Abuja, in a raid which lasted for more than four hours, Sunday, bringing to an end weeks of hide and seek between the two.

Bankole had adamantly shunned invitations by the Commission to come in and answer questions regarding some financial impropriety including a N10 billion loan secured by the former speaker using his office as a speaker of the House of Representatives. An attempt to arrest him last Friday was thwarted by his well-armed security details who had confronted the EFCC officers, leading to a stand-off which lasted through the weekend.

The anti-graft agency is investigating the speaker’s role in some alleged financial transactions executed by the House, which included the alleged use of the House’s accounts as collateral to secure a private loan.

The former speaker is also being investigated for allegedly taking a loan of N10 billion for the House without any resolution of the House supporting the said loan, as well as N2.3 million contract scam and alleged misappropriation of over N9 billion from the 2008/2009 budget allocation to the House as well as the purchase of NET building in Lagos for N4 billion.

Meanwhile mixed reactions yesterday trailed Bankole’s arrest by the EFCC.

While some Nigerians urged the commission to arrest and investigate other lawmakers, others described the arrest as a charade.

Human Rights lawyer, Mr. Bamidele Aturu, said the EFCC should ensure thorough investigation of the matter including all members of the out-gone Sixth House.

His words: “The arrest should not stop with the former Speaker, every member of the National Assembly in the last dispensation should be investigated and those found culpable must be brought to book.”

Embarrassment to the nation

Aturu described Bankole’s arrest as “embarrassing to the nation, morally indefensible and legally untenable” because “Bankole occupied a moral position in Nigeria. He was morally and legally bound to submit himself to the EFCC for questioning rather than trying to resist it.”

He commended the EFCC for showing that nobody was above the law in Nigeria.

Chairman of the National Action Council, NAC, Dr. Olapade Agoro, urged EFCC “to ensure that a good job was made of Bankole’s arrest” because “the conduct of the Speaker prior to the arrest was a disgrace to the youths of Nigeria.”

He said: “It becomes more saddening that a young man who earns over N100 million per quarter should have his name tainted in any form of financial allegations. Even the allegations against Mrs. Patricia Etteh, who was disgraced out of office as Speaker was a child’s play, compared to the current allegations emanating from the House.”

Agoro said that EFCC must pursue and arrest other members of the House, including the Senate in the last dispensation, to logical conclusions, adding: “The final arrest of Bankole is highly encouraging because it at least put paid to the belief and wrong assumption in some quarters that some Nigerians are above the law.”

Proof of innocence

The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, on its part, said the arrest should not end as a mere fanfare.

The South West Secretary of the CNPP, Mr Austin Nnorom, told NAN that justice must be seen to have been carried out by EFCC on the allegations. He said: “If the former Speaker is to be acquitted of the allegations, Nigerians must be shown proof of his innocence and vice_versa.”

However, the Coalition of Oodua Self_Determination Groups, COOSEG, said the EFCC was playing on the emotion of Nigerians with the arrest.

COOSEG Director of Strategy, Razaq Oladosu said: “The commission was quoted in the media to have set up two committees on Sunday that would investigate the Speaker after giving impressions to Nigerians that investigations had been concluded. The former speaker or anyone else, would be a fool not to have tied up loose ends because there was adequate time since the EFCC started harping on the arrest to cover any such tracks.”

Oladosu said that a sincere war on corruption must start with a change in the leadership of the EFCC that had “indicted more persons on the pages of newspapers than in actuality.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/06/bankole-opens-up-in-detention/

Vanguard learnt that he has started mentioning names after being grilled for more than 12 hours by the anti-graft agency over alleged financial impropriety in the House of Representatives during his tenure which ended last week.

Yeye thief. He's beginning to mention names. Bank-ole, don't worry, you're not the only one who's gonna rot in jail, so just keep mentioning. You'll definitely be the speaker when you and your culprits land in kirikiri.

nsiadi:

Pride, truly, goes b4 a fall. This bank ole, nay bank robber, tot he was god. If u recall hw he was dealing wt Dino u wl think he is cast in iron. Even though the humiliation may not last long I blv he deserves to be put away 4 sm time.

Many Questions 4 him:

(1) Is he authorized 2 jack up the allowance of the legislators?
(2) Do they really deserve what they were getting even b4 the caterpulting?
(3) Why did d EFCC hv 2 wait 4 so long b4 intervening?
(4) Are those lawmaking robbers not expected 2 cough out these stolen monies?
(5) Cant a mechanism be put in place 2 stop these swindles?
(6) Is it proper 2 exclude d press in any of their activities?
(7) How will recent revelations affect d new crop of leadership in the 7th house?

Please let the income, wages & fiscal commission let us know whats the correct salary of these legislators. The earlier the better

(1) Is he authorized 2 jack up the allowance of the legislators?
Answer: Bankole did not jerk up the allowances of the legislators.  When Bankole was away in Ibadan, the deputy speaker Nafada presided over a session where the allowances for 'all' House of Rep members was increased.  The N10b loan was used to pay for the increase.  Bankole and his deputy did not benefit from the increase or the loan.  Every other Rep member got an increase of N14m.  Including Dino Melaye, Mulikat Akande-Adeola not excluding Tambuwal the new Speaker.  By the way, the loan was covered in the 2011 budget that was signed into law by President Jonathan and has been paid back in full.

(2) Do they really deserve what they were getting even b4 the caterpulting?
Answer:Ask the law.  It is their legal salary long before they became legislators.  It is not a crime.  Do you know the salaries of other government officials from the President to the Minister to the Governor to every one. It's a general characteristic of Nigerian government.

(3) Why did d EFCC hv 2 wait 4 so long b4 intervening?
Answer:The EFCC went after Bankole on Sunday.  The election for the new Speaker was on Monday.  Jonathan and the PDP leadership want Mulikat from SouthWest as the Speaker against Tambuwal who is close to Bankole.  The EFCC's plan was to implicate Tambuwal in the N10b loan.  But everyone benefited from the loan including Jonathan's candidate, Mulikat.  However, Tambuwal sneaked into the National Assembly chamber Sunday night to evade EFCC's net.  Now EFCC has to give the impression that they are truly fighting corruption.

(4) Are those lawmaking robbers not expected 2 cough out these stolen monies?
Answer:The question is- was the increase in allowances legal?  Remember they are lawmakers.  They make the law.  In all democracies worldwide, lawmakers are known to make laws that favour them.  One of the demerits of democracy.  The followed due process in reviewing their allowances.  And the President signed the upward review into law as part of the 2011 budget.  Even they broke the law, the president also broke the law!

(5) Cant a mechanism be put in place 2 stop these swindles?
Answer:How is it a swindle if it has not been proven that they broke the law?

(6) Is it proper 2 exclude d press in any of their activities?
Answer:They did not exclude the press in any activities.  They are not under obligation to report all their legislative activities to the press.

(7) How will recent revelations affect d new crop of leadership in the 7th house?
Answer: EFCC and Jonathan have taken the wrong turn by witch-hunting Bankole and Tambuwal to impose a puppet as the Speaker.  The 7th House will do everything it can within to law to ensure that Justice is served in this Bankole case. 

What you owe Nigeria is to remember that every Nigerian including you is presumed innocent until proven guilty.  You have to be careful not to crucify a young upcoming politician because he backed a democratic process against the will of the current President.

abokine:

sabotage, are we all naive enough ot belieNve that Bankole the speeaker as he was onces is the only individaul that has that amount of money N10b.hmm!.This is just a setup or rather a delibrate destruction for the prestigious outgoing Speaker,

This aint politically correct
This might offend my political connect.

Im not surprise at this, they just want to throw dust on our eyes to make believe; he will soon be released

bioye:

(1) Is he authorized 2 jack up the allowance of the legislators?
Answer: Bankole did not jerk up the allowances of the legislators.  When Bankole was away in Ibadan, the deputy speaker Nafada presided over a session where the allowances for 'all' House of Rep members was increased.  The N10b loan was used to pay for the increase.  Bankole and his deputy did not benefit from the increase or the loan.  Every other Rep member got an increase of N14m.  Including Dino Melaye, Mulikat Akande-Adeola not excluding Tambuwal the new Speaker.  By the way, the loan was covered in the 2011 budget that was signed into law by President Jonathan and has been paid back in full.

(2) Do they really deserve what they were getting even b4 the caterpulting?
Answer:Ask the law.  It is their legal salary long before they became legislators.  It is not a crime.  Do you know the salaries of other government officials from the President to the Minister to the Governor to every one. It's a general characteristic of Nigerian government.

(3) Why did d EFCC hv 2 wait 4 so long b4 intervening?
Answer:The EFCC went after Bankole on Sunday.  The election for the new Speaker was on Monday.  Jonathan and the PDP leadership want Mulikat from SouthWest as the Speaker against Tambuwal who is close to Bankole.  The EFCC's plan was to implicate Tambuwal in the N10b loan.  But everyone benefited from the loan including Jonathan's candidate, Mulikat.  However, Tambuwal sneaked into the National Assembly chamber Sunday night to evade EFCC's net.  Now EFCC has to give the impression that they are truly fighting corruption.

(4) Are those lawmaking robbers not expected 2 cough out these stolen monies?
Answer:The question is- was the increase in allowances legal?  Remember they are lawmakers.  They make the law.  In all democracies worldwide, lawmakers are known to make laws that favour them.  One of the demerits of democracy.  The followed due process in reviewing their allowances.  And the President signed the upward review into law as part of the 2011 budget.  Even they broke the law, the president also broke the law!

(5) Cant a mechanism be put in place 2 stop these swindles?
Answer:How is it a swindle if it has not been proven that they broke the law?

(6) Is it proper 2 exclude d press in any of their activities?
Answer:They did not exclude the press in any activities.  They are not under obligation to report all their legislative activities to the press.

(7) How will recent revelations affect d new crop of leadership in the 7th house?
Answer: EFCC and Jonathan have taken the wrong turn by witch-hunting Bankole and Tambuwal to impose a puppet as the Speaker.  The 7th House will do everything it can within to law to ensure that Justice is served in this Bankole case. 

What you owe Nigeria is to remember that every Nigerian including you is presumed innocent until proven guilty.  You have to be careful not to crucify a young upcoming politician because he backed a democratic process against the will of the current President.

hmmm, Fud 4 tot

just a question
how will, a speaker do that, without a president not knowing about it??
am still amazed, that the president didnt knw about this, is a lie

@Donlittle, What's up? Like to talk to you ooo. What's your yahoo ID. Holla!

I realy admire Bankole form a distance and am having a mix feeling about all of these,am still between and betwist till he is being proven either guilty or not guilty by a court of law.I pray he comes out clean because there will deffinately be more to this than what we are currently seeing and hearing.