EFCC Secures Order To Detain Fayose’s Aide As Police Gets 102 Petitions Against Governor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has secured a court order to detain Abiodun Agbele (Alias Abbey), an associate of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State.

Agbele was arrested during the week in respect of ongoing investigation into how about N4.745billion of the $2. 1billion arms cash was diverted to a former Minister of Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro and Governor Fayose.

The cash was allegedly sourced from the SAS Imprest Account of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under ex-NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki prior to the conduct of  the  June 21,2014 Ekiti Governorship poll.

About N1.219billion was allegedly disbursed to Fayose through Abiodun Agbele and De Privateer Limited which is owned by the associate.

The ONSA allegedly wired the N4.745billion via Sylvan Mcnamara Limited, a phony company allegedly run by the Obanikoros.

Said a source, “We have obtained a remand warrant from the court to detain Agbele; who was central to the collection and sharing of the N1.219billion into the accounts of Fayose and other beneficiaries.

“His arrest has enabled us to get to the root of how the funds came about and the disbursement formula.

“When presented with records of transactions and accruing tellers, the suspect admitted carrying out the transactions. He is helping our investigation and we will soon reveal the details to the public.”

Before Agele’s arrest, investigation had uncovered that:

“The N1, 219, 490,000 was not deposited in any account but it was kept in a vault in the bank. It took the bank officials about 10 days to count. The bankers refused to make entry until it was counted,

“Shortly after confirming the figure, Abiodun Agbele was used to coordinate the disbursement of the funds. On June 26, 2014, the wanted associate (Abiodun Agbele) paid N137million into Ayodele Fayose’s account 10003126654 with Zenith Bank through Teller-0556814. Fayose’s BVN on the teller is 22338867502. On August 22, 2014, he paid N50million into the same account. By the records from the bank, Abiodun Agbele paid another N118, 760,000 into Fayose’s account on 27/8/14.

“Based on the transfers, Fayose moved N300million to a Fixed Deposit Account No 9013074033 with Zenith Bank at 15, Olusola Abiona Street, Olorunda Estate, Alapere Ketu. He has the same BVN-22338867502.

“After that, Abiodun deposited another N100million from the N1, 219, 490,000 into Spotless Hotel Account run by Fayose and his wife, Helen Olayemi Fayose with Account No. 1010170969, Fayose’s BVN is 223338867502 and his wife’s BVN in the account is 22298990256.

“The governor and his wife are the two directors and signatories of Spotless Hotel account.”

In the course of the investigation, the EFCC team dug up how De Privateer Limited (a company owned by Abiodun Agbele) with Account No. 1013835889 received the sum of N219, 490,000 on June 18, 2014.

“On June 19, 2014, the same account received N300million and another N200million on June 23, 2014. The BVN of the account is 22235692890.”

Meanwhile, investigations revealed that the office of the Inspector General of Police as received not less than 102 petitions against the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.

The petitions were said to have been written by those alleged to have either been harassed, beaten or detained before, during, and after the last governorship election in the state.

It was gathered that the police is set to invite the governor’s loyalists who were either in the employment of the state or in other positions when they partook in the acts stated in the petitions.

A special police team, led by one CSP Ndah, was said to have led the investigating team that investigated some of the cases.

During the tenure of the last Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, the police was set to arrest some of the governor’s aides, but Fayose was said to have raised the alarm, alleging that the police were coming to raid the state and his personal house.

The majority of the petitions were said to have originated from the members of the All Progressives Congress in the state.

The chairman of the APC in the state, Mr. Jide Awe, was said to have coordinated the writing of the petitions.

It was also gathered that the writers of the petitions were spread across the 16 local government areas of the state. Among those said to have written the petitions were one Dapo Kolawole from Ijero  Local Government Area and Jide Ajayi from Irepodun Ifelodun Local Government Area, among others.

A highly-placed police source said that the time was ripe for the police to look at the petitions again following the conclusion of the army’s inquiry into roles played by its officers and men during the election.

“The police have over 102 petitions against the governor which we are investigating. Soon, we will start inviting the suspects for interrogation,” the senior police officer said.

He added, “We have the petitions already worked on by a senior police officer, who is retired now, but we are looking at them again so that it doesn’t look as if we are sweeping anything under the carpet.”

It was also gathered that divisional police officers who served in the state during the election and were used to illegally detain innocent voters had volunteered information to their superiors.

The state Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said that he was aware of the petitions. Olatubosun said the party had written another petition against the governor over attacks on its members by thugs loyal to the PDP.

He said, “In fact, we wrote another petition two days ago to the DSS and the police based on the attack on our members. Our properties at various times had been destroyed by PDP thugs. All these allegations, among others should be investigated.”

The state chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, Mr. Tunji Ogunlola, also said he was aware of petitions against the governor bordering on intimidation and harassment of the opposition by some of his aides.

He said apart from the police, he was aware of petitions by the APC to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the claims of the governor on monthly wages of workers in the state.

He said, “It is true there are countless allegations against him. He should defend all the allegations against him in the petitions.”

The state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Gboyega Oguntuase, however, said no true son of Ekiti would write a petition against a performing governor.

He said if truly there were petitions against the governor, it could only come from “his enemies in the APC.”

The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, declined to make any comment when called on phone by one of our correspondents on Saturday evening.

Adelusi said he would only react if he was aware of the petitions.

“I am not reacting. I am not saying anything because I have not seen anything at all. I am educated and by the virtue of my training you have to see what you are reacting to,” Adelusi said.

It will be recalled that the APC in February this year for the third time petitioned the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), asking him to prosecute all indicted people in the June 21 Ekiti governorship election rigging scandal.

The party had written two petitions dated February 13, 2015 and November 23, 2015 on the same subject matter.

The party in another petition asked the then Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, to prosecute Fayose; former Ekiti State Mopol Commander, Gabriel Selekere; and an Assistant Inspector General of Police, Bala Nasarawa for the alleged criminal manipulation of the governorship election.