By MIKE ALADENIKA
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has reportedly held a former president of the Nigerian Senate and two term governor of Kwara State, Sen. Bukola Saraki, in custody over allegations of theft and money laundering.
Mr Saraki, a former Kwara State governor, was detained on Saturday, according to PREMIUM TIMES source familiar with the development said, this arrest may trigger another episode of troubles for the politician.
As senate president between 2015 and 2019, Mr Saraki spent a considerable time facing allegations of corruption and false declaration of assets. He was acquitted by the Supreme Court in June 2018.
However, in his new case with the EFCC, Mr Saraki is to answer questions over alleged theft and laundering of public funds using a network of cronies and proxy companies.
The suspected proxies, who executed purported contracts for Kwara State under Mr Saraki, allegedly made returns, for many years, to the former governor, forming an organised a network of dirty money flow.
The funds involved were huge, running into hundreds of millions in naira and hundreds of thousands in foreign currencies at various times, sources said.
Anti-graft investigators have obtained a list of the proxy companies involved and analysed a pattern of suspicious transactions between them and Mr Saraki, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.
One of them has been reportedly responsible for funding Mr Saraki’s lifestyle, including paying over a hundred million to settle the bills for rent and renovation of Mr Saraki’s Maitama residence, PREMIUM TIMES’ investigation showed, based on interviews with persons familiar with the property.
Meanwhile, The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has on Saturday, confirmed the arrest and detention of the former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki.
Mr Wilson Uwujaren, the spokesperson of the commission, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Saraki was invited for questioning in respect of allegations of corruption and money laundering.
He said the former senate president is currently in the custody of the commission.
He said the Commission would continue its interrogation of the former Kwara State Governor and ex-Senate President
Details subsequently . . .
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