BREAKING: EFCC arrests Saraki over fresh allegations of corruption
- Nigeria's anti-graft agency, EFCC, has reportedly has held Bukola Saraki in custody over theft and money laundering allegations
- Sources whose names are withheld said the former Senate president was detained by the EFCC on Saturday, July 31
- The theft and money laundering allegedly happened under Saraki's watch as the governor of Kwara state
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FCT, Abuja - Bukola Saraki, Nigeria's former Senate president, is allegedly in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over renewed allegations of theft and money laundering.
Premium Times, citing anonymous sources, reported that Saraki who is a former governor Kwara of state governor was detained on Saturday, July 31.
Source: Facebook
Legit.ng recalls that Saraki has spent considerable time facing allegations of corruption and false declaration of assets during his tenure as Senate president between 2015 and 2019.
He was, however, acquitted by the Supreme Court in June 2018.
Saraki versus EFCC: The new case
In his new case with the EFCC, Saraki is allegedly to answer questions over alleged theft and laundering of public funds using a network of cronies and proxy companies, Premium Times stated.
The suspected proxies allegedly executed purported contracts for Kwara state under the Saraki-led administration.
They allegedly made returns, for many years, to the former governor.
The funds involved reportedly ran into hundreds of millions in naira and hundreds of thousands in foreign currencies.
The Punch reported that a senior official also confirmed the development.
Nigerians react
The report of the latest arrest of Saraki is generating mixed reactions on social media.
Amb Harry said on Facebook:
"EFCC to me is just a political tool, always cracking down on the opposition party without replicating the same on the ruling party."
Aderibigbe Asaolu said:
"This is why some people will remain in penury because any politician who is facing corrupt charges will surely have supporters that will read meaning to his travail even though his offence have adverse effect on their well being they don't care, if it is opposition party they will say it is because he belongs to opposition, if he belongs to ruling party they will say because he did not belong to cabal in the party shame!"
Lanre Ajikobi said:
"If he is guilty, let justice be done to him and his accomplices and fast too."
Saraki is blocking us from probing him, EFCC tells court
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Saraki was accused of hindering the process by the EFCC to probe him.
The anti-graft agency made this known on Wednesday, July 14, at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Legit.ng gathered that the counsel to the EFCC, Chile Okoronkwo, told Justice Anwuli Chikere when the fundamental rights enforcement suits filed by Saraki were mentioned in the court.
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Corruption allegations: Al-Makura reacts to report of EFCC arrest
In a related development, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, a former governor of Nasarawa state, has reacted to the report of his arrest by the EFCC on Wednesday, July 28.
The senator's chief press secretary, Danjuma Joseph, stated on Thursday, July 28, that the ex-governor was not arrested but invited by the anti-graft agency.
Joseph said that Al-Makura was only invited “to give his own side of the story to some petitions written against him.”
Source: Legit.ng
