Former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro
A former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, was on Monday grilled for several hours by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and where he was confronted with evidence by detectives, SaharaReporters reveals.
Obanikoro reported himself yesterday to the EFCC after returning from the United States of America. It was gathered that after reporting at the commission's office around 1.20pm and as at 8.59pm, he was still detained.
The EFCC had alleged that a company, Sylvan McNamara, allegedly owned by Obanikoro’s sons, was said to have received N4.7bn from the Office of the National Security Adviser under Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) in June 2014.
SaharaReporters reveals that Obanikoro allegedly handed over N1.219bn to Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and N1.3bn to Senator Iyiola Omisore, the then Osun State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party; he directed that about N759,384,300 should be transferred into the accounts of about six bureau de change operators.
The two bureau de change operators that received the bulk of the funds were A.A.G.B.S. Oil and Gas and North Line Limited.
While A.A.G.B.S. received N168m on June 16, 2014, North Line Limited received N835, 000 on July 14; N83,750,000 on June 17; N1,680,000 on September 3, 2014; about N2,325, 300 on September 9; N5,932, 500 on September 17 and N842,500 on July 30.
It was also gathered that an aide to Obanikoro, who accompanied the ex-minister to the EFCC, told the commission that he visited a bureau de change operator on the instruction of Obanikoro and collected over $1m on behalf of the ex-minister and handed it over to him (ex-minister).
Obanikoro could not deny the statement when confronted with the evidence including receipts. Obanikoro was said to have arrived at the commission with a bag containing drugs, toiletries, and other items.
“He has been cooperating with us. He has made useful statements, but we still need him to shed more light on the main issues.
“He came with a bag load of drugs and told us that he was treating himself. We will keep him here for now,” a source in the EFCC said.
When contacted on the telephone, Obanikoro’s lawyer, Mr. James Onoja (SAN), revealed that his client was cooperating with the EFCC and will soon be released on bail.
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