The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said it had begun an investigation into alleged money laundering by the Finance Director of Atiku Abubakar’s group of companies, Alhaji Babalele Abdullahi.
Acting Spokesman of EFCC, Mr Tony Orilade, stated this in Abuja, on Monday, and confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria that Abdullahi was in the commission’s custody.
“We are investigating a case of money laundering against Abdullahi.
“We shall speak at the appropriate time,” Orilade said.
He declined to disclose the figure involved in the laundering allegation against Abdullahi, but NAN investigation revealed that it was about 150 million Euros.
Abubakar, Peoples Democratic Party candidate in the just-concluded Presidential election, a few days ago raised the alarm over the arrest of Abdullahi by EFCC operatives, who invaded his residence.
In a statement in Abuja by his Media Aide, Mr Paul Ibe, the former Vice President alleged that in a “desperate move” to make him concede and congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari, EFCC invaded the Maitama residence of Abdullahi.
“The EFCC agents numbering about two dozen came in two regular vehicles, an 18-seater Toyota bus with registration number Abuja CS 522 RSH and a Hilux van.
“They came with a warrant to search the house and office of Abdullahi and found nothing incriminating.
“They then proceeded to his office at Oakland Centre in Maitama and found nothing incriminating there.
“However, they took away some documents of landed property. Not done, the EFCC officials stormed his Wuse residence where they again found nothing incriminating after searching.
“Afterwards, Abdullahi was taken away to the EFCC office in Wuse to make a statement,” Abubakar said.