JUST IN: EFCC Speaks On Raid Of Atiku's Sons' Apartment

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Monday said an apartment occupied by sons of the PDP presidential candidate, Alh. Atiku Abubakar was raided Saturday, however, the operation was not targeted at them.

It was gathered that the building located in Maitama, Abuja is also inhabited by the sons of Theodore Orji, the former governor of Abia State who has been under corruption investigation by the EFCC.

In a statement Monday afternoon, the EFCC said the raid was strictly targeted at Mr Orji’s sons, some of whom were arrested and their cars confiscated.

“The recent arrest of Ogbonna Orji, son of Sen. Theodore Orji, over money laundering, has absolutely nothing to do with son of ex-VP Atiku Abubakar.

“The former Abia governor has been under investigations by the EFCC, for money laundering activities, which was discovered to have been carried out through his sons.

“The EFCC had been on the trail of cars allegedly bought by the sons, and last Friday the cars were traced to a night club in Abuja, where operatives waited patiently through the night to arrest the owners – Ogbonna and his friend, Kelvin Ilonah.

“They were arrested at about 5am on Saturday, and they led operatives to their three-flat apartment, where documents retrieved showed that it was rented at a rate of N13million per annum.

“They have so far given useful information to the EFCC, which is aiding in investigations. It should be made clear that the EFCC never “went after” Atiku’s sons, neither was Atiku’s son arrested by the EFCC,” a string of tweets by the EFCC said in full.

The anti-graft agency did not say if it knew before the raid that one of the apartments was owned by Mr Abubakar’s sons. It also did not say if Mr Orji’s sons briefed the operatives before the raid that the neighbouring apartment belonged to Mr Abubakar’s sons.

Reports say Atiku's both sons were out of the country during the raid.

Premium Times reports that an aide to ex-Abia governor Theodore Orji which contacted the newspaper this morning insisted  the raid was not targeted at them but at Mr Abubakar’s children. The aide said the family would consider issuing a statement on the matter.

In his reaction to the EFCC statement, Atiku's spokeperson, Paul Ibe, said the raid exposes the “shabbiness” of the government’s anti-corruption campaign.

“The EFCC has seen the huge support which Nigerians showed towards the Atiku Abubakar family since PREMIUM TIMES reported the illegal and intimidating raid of Aliyu and Mustapha’s apartment” Mr Ibe said. “They are now tunning around to cover up their political witchhunt.”

“It is better for them to tell Nigerians that they mistakenly raided the apartment of the Atiku Abubakar’s sons while they were looking for Theodore Orji’s sons, but to outright deny going after Aliyu and Mustapha in search of imaginary dollars is uncharitable and insulting to the intelligence of Nigerians as a collective,” Mr Ibe said.

Source: Premium Times