EFCC Arrests Bank MD over Alleged $115m Diezani’s Cash

There were strong indications Wednesday night, that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), may have arrested the Managing Director (MD) and chief executive officer of a new generation bank (name withheld), according to New Telegraph.

New Telegraph reported that a highly-placed source at the Commission, informed it that the bank’s chief executive was arrested in connection with an alleged $115 million cash connected with Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, former minister of Petroleum Resources,

Though, facts of the latest arrest were sketchy as at the time of going to the press, New Telegraph recalled that this is coming at a time the anti-graft agency was said to have seized a wristwatch worth £600,000 allegedly from Alison-Madueke.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, has denied the 2011 non-prosecution agreement between the Federal Government and Tidex Nigeria Limited.

Part of the statement by Adoke reads: “I’m constrained to draw attention to the above caption…of Wednesday, 27 April 2016 to the effect that the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN had directed the EFFCC to investigate the 2011 Non Prosecution Agreement executed between the Federal Government of Nigeria and Tidex Nigeria Limited.

“I would ordinarily have refrained from commenting on the issue knowing fully well that the circumstances surrounding the execution of all the Non-Prosecution Agreements signed in 2011, are known to relevant Agencies of Government including the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and the EFCC. But, since the aforementioned publication hit the news stands, I have been inundated with calls from genuinely concerned Nigerian’s seeking to know what is responsible for these deliberate attempts to smear my name and bring me to public odium?

 “My answer is simply that the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation did not initiate these settlements. It was the EFCC, under the Chairmanship of Chief (Mrs) Farida Waziri (OON) that initiated these settlements and nominated Mr. Godwin Obla (SAN) as the lawyer to represent their interest in the negotiations that were conducted under auspices of the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. It was when the negotiations were concluded to the satisfaction of all the Parties, that I signed on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria and Mr. Emmanuel Akomoye (then, Secretary to the EFCC) signed on behalf of the EFCC. The copies of the agreements are in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and I believe with the EFCC as well.”