Nigeria's anti-corruption watchdog wants ex-Minister to cough up over $4.2 m

Nigeria’s anti corruption watchdog, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday interrogated the spokesman of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Campaign Organisation for hours.

The EFCC reportedly inisited that Femi Fani Kayode returns the N840 million ($4.2 million) he allegedly received for running the failed second term presidential election of Jonathan last year.

Kayode, a former Aviation Minister had insisted that he got the money to do specific assignments given him by the former President, the the light of the EFCC’s insistence that he produces the cash or nothing else, Vanguard reported on its online portal.

‘‘The agency is said to have produced evidence that the former Minister of Finance, Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, who also received N2.5 billion out of the N4 billion that was shared to them, had refunded N140 million, in addition to surrendering two palatial homes in Abuja, to secure her freedom,’‘ Vanguard further reported.

N4bn cash: Fani-Kayode must refund N840m, EFCC insists https://t.co/3P6GHOifJr vanguardngr.com

— Vanguard Newspapers (vanguardngrnews) May 10, 2016

The former minister, confronted with EFCC’s evidence of how he collected the huge sum drawn from the Central Bank, admitted having received the monies. Local media reports that the former Minister would most likemy be released on an administrative bail on certain conditions.

Meanwhile, a source close to him reiterated that the funds were properly utilised for the intended purpose and that he did not see any justification for asking the former minister to refund the money already utilised.

Since assumption of office, after winning the 2015 elections, President Muhammadu Buhari has launched a crackdown on corruption in the erstwhile administration including a probe into funds meant to tool the military in the fight against Boko Haram.

A former National Security chief, Sambo Dasuki is currently facing charges of financial impropriety over the misuse of some $2 billion dollars. Africa’s most populous country has been crippled by high level corruption in several facets of its national life.