Frank Writes Buhari, Demands Full Disclosure of Looted Recoveries, Culprits

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The Deputy Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to fulfill the promise he made to Nigerians to disclose how much has been recovered so far suspects and from whom they were recovered.

Against the backdrop of the raging controversy over the ownership of wads of foreign currencies and naira notes totalling about N13 billion recovered by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos, Frank said the president should order a transparent investigation to unravel the culprit.

In an open letter addressed to President Buhari, the APC Deputy spokesman said apart from disclosing the total amount so far recovered from looters, the president should instruct the EFCC to declare the true owners of monies being recovered.

Regarding the recent money recovered in an Ikoyi apartment, Frank said in view of the claims and counter claims over the likely culprit, especially the one by the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA) that the money belonged to it, President Buhari should take steps to clarify the situation.
Frank said though he appreciated the sincerity, zeal and single-mindedness with which President Buhari has been seeking to vanquish corruption in this country, it would be equally good if he keeps Nigerians informed at all times on what has been recovered and from whom.

“In the light of the grave concerns being expressed and far-reaching implications presented to the country in view of the recent cash discoveries, permit me to urge the EFCC to be more open as to the true owners of monies being recovered. Mr. President, I want to also say that it is time you fulfill this administration’s promise to disclose to Nigerians how much has been recovered so far and from whom they were recovered,” he said.

Frank said there are many pertinent questions agitating the minds of Nigerians over the Ikoyi discovery adding that as a party man that is close to ‘ordinary Nigerians’, he is inclined to ask the following questions:
“Is it true that the latest cash haul from an apartment in Ikoyi, belongs to the NIA that had reportedly laid claim to the money? The EFCC needs to clarify this.

“If the money recovered from the Ikoyi apartment was approved and released by the last administration for “covert operations” as claimed, why was the money not kept in the bank or stored in a safe in any of its officially recognized offices nationwide?

s the said Ikoyi apartment more secured than the well protected and guarded Offices of the agency across the country? Is the apartment the property of the NIA? If not, who leased it to them?
“Is the apartment a bank? Is it correct to say that the money belongs to a high profile Nigerian in or outside government now allegedly being shielded? How could the agency have stashed such humongous amount in a building being shared by non-security personnel or neigbours without the presence of its operatives, if only to keep an eye on the money?

Frank also wonder why the agency did not return the money back to government coffers, if it was unable to carry out its intended ‘covert’ operation almost two years after the money was released to it, but instead decided to keep the cash in an unguarded location.
He said that not until the EFCC makes public the real owner of the money, it will be difficult to convince Nigerians that the money belongs to the NIA.
He also suggested that the President asks another competent security agency like the Department of State Services (DSS) to independently investigate and unravel the true owner of the fund in order to put the present controversy to rest.