Alleged N7bn scam: EFCC quizzes Ikuforiji’s deputy, 4 others

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September 14, 2011

News

BY OSCARLINE ONWUEMENYI & GBENGA AKANMU

ABUJA— Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, summoned the Deputy Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Kolawole Taiwo, and four of its principal officers to answer questions regarding the alleged N7 billion corruption scandal rocking the assembly.

The four other principal officers-Rotimi Lateef Abiru, Ajibayo Adeyeye Abdulrasaq Balogun and Lola Akande- are now being held in EFCC office in Wuse 11 area of Abuja.

EFCC had two weeks ago detained and interrogated the Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, over the alleged sleaze.

According to a source within EFCC, the interrogation of the deputy speaker and the four principal officers was aimed at tightening the noose around the Speaker to bring him to book for the said alleged scam.

The source added that besides indicting statements from the Clerk of the House on how millions of naira were taken out of the treasury in cash through phony foreign courses, the chief accountant who was interrogated on Monday was also said to have made useful statements to the EFCC operatives.

According to EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Babafemi, the five principal officers appeared at the EFCC Headquarters at 10 am yesterday.

Mean time, the Lagos State House of Assembly has debunked the arrest of its principal officers by EFCC.

In a statement, Rotimi Adebayo, Chief Press Secretary to Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji, said: ”The voluntary response of our principal officers to clear the record with EFCC is being mischievously termed as ‘arrested.’ In clear language, none of these officers was arrested.”

He continued that the Principal officers and some Account staff had gone to the EFCC Abuja’s office yesterday just has the Speaker had earlier honoured the invitation of the commission.

Adebayo reiterated the commitment of the House as a “highly responsible and responsive legislative body, we assure all Lagosians that we shall continue to churn out pro-people legislations aimed at taking the state of excellence to a greater height.