Ex-Minister Obanikoro Returns to Nigeria to Face EFCC

Ex-Minister Obanikoro Returns to Nigeria to Face EFCC

Former minister of state for defence, Mr Musiliu Obanikoro, is believed to have returned to Nigeria in the early hours of Monday to face the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which has been investigating multiple allegations against him.

Online news medium, Sahara Reporters, had on Sunday stated on its Twitter page that the former high commissioner to Ghana was getting set to leave the US to honour EFCC’s invitation.

FLASH: @MObanikoro travels out of the US as he negotiates surrender to the @officialefcc over Dasukigate

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) October 16, 2016

Early on Monday, the medium announced that Obanikoro had arrived the country.

FLASH: @MObanikoro returns to Nigeria, plans surrendering @officialefcc over Ektigate and Dasukigate pic.twitter.com/3Ge0l5XLl7

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) October 17, 2016

Popular newspaper, This Day equally reported that Obanikoro was scheduled to arrive in the early hours of Monday in preparation to face the anti-graft agency.

Sahara Reporters claims that Obanikoro intends to surrender to the EFCC with respect to ongoing investigations into his involvement in the alleged diversion of public funds through the office of the National Security Adviser while Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) occupied that office.

The funds were allegedly diverted through Obanikoro to fund the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Mr Ayodele Fayose’s campaign for the Ekiti governorship election in 2014.

More funds were alleged to have been subsequently diverted to fund the presidential campaign of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan in his failed re-election bid in 2015.

Mr Obanikoro was the minister of state for defence during the period which the alleged diversion of public funds earmarked for anti-terrorism campaign occurred.

The EFCC has in previous months raided the former Lagos governorship aspirant’s home in Ikoyi while also publishing different claims of money laundering against him and threatening to request his extradition from the United States.

The former minister had at the time threatened to resist all moves to extradite him while also reassuring his supporters of his innocence.

According to This Day, Obanikoro will head to the EFCC office in Abuja accompanied by two senior lawyers, Mr Lawal Pedro SAN and Mr James Onoja SAN.