Multiple residential houses located in highbrow Ikoyi, Lagos, allegedly owned by Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki have been sealed off by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The Nation reports that the agency is in the process of approaching a court for an order for the interim forfeiture of the properties pending the conclusion of Saraki’s trial for allegations against him.
It was gathered that the commission suspects Saraki of having acquired the properties with state funds when he served as Kwara state governor between 2003 and 2011.
It also believes that he has not declared them, adding that the anti-graft agency is currently probing Saraki’s earnings and acquisitions while in office.
An EFCC source was quoted to have said: “It is an ongoing case which has to do with alleged illegally acquired properties while he held sway as the governor of Kwara state. We have attached the five properties in line with sections 27(4), 28 and 29 of the EFCC establishment act”.
Meanwhile, in his reaction, Saraki insisted that the action of the EFCC was a witch-hunt.
According to him, the property in question have been investigated by the commission several times in the past.
A statement by the Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the Senate President, Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu said: “Our attention has been drawn to the fact that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has marked certain property belonging to Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, obviously under the claim that they are subject of investigation.
“The action of the EFCC only reinforced our earlier stated position that their current investigation is mischievous, contrary to the tenets of the rule of law and only aimed at settling scores. This position is founded on the fact that these same buildings were the subject of earlier investigations by the EFCC as well as the case initiated by the Federal Government at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
“Also, the case went all the way to the highest court in our country, the Supreme Court of Nigeria. In that case, Saraki was discharged and acquitted because the courts believe the government has no case.”