Update On Bala Mohammed, Abati In EFCC’s Custody

Former Federal Capital Territory Minister, Bala Mohammed, and the ex-Presidential Spokesman, Reuben Abati, have been united in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and are likely to spend more time there until further notice, Vanguard reports.

This indication emerged last night when competent officials of the anti-graft agency snubbed suggestions for their immediate release, arguing that they were not yet through with investigation into their alleged criminal offences.

The development came as EFCC served former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, with fresh charges over new evidence that he received the sum of N26 million from the embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, for undisclosed reasons when he served as the Spokesman for the Goodluck Jonathan Presidential Campaign Organisation.

A source in EFCC confirmed last night that Fani-Kayode is to be arraigned over the fresh fraud case on November 10, 2016.

“It is true we served him with court processes today and we are expecting him to appear in court to answer to the new charges on November 10 this year,” the source said according to Vanguard.

The two men, who were very prominent figures in the last administration, were hauled into custody on Monday by operatives of the anti-graft agency, who claimed the politicians have serious cases to answer. While Abati is being questioned in relation to various sums of money he allegedly received from the ONSA, Mohammed is being quizzed over a dubious land swap deal he embarked, which made the FCT to lose about N1 trillion in the process. The anti-graft agency, acting on mounting petitions from aggrieved Nigerians, had earlier seized four houses worth N872 million from the embattled former Minister and his son, Shamsudeen.

EFCC also obtained an interim forfeiture order to confiscate N650 million houses in Asokoro District of Abuja, said to belong to the former minister. The same forfeiture order was secured to seize the ex-minister’s son’s three duplexes worth N222 million in the Apo Area of Abuja. Mohammed is also being questioned over alleged fictitious contracts worth about N1billion, allocation of 12 choice plots worth billions of Naira and 37 other commercial plots of land worth about N8 billion to his suspected front named Tariq Hammoud.