EFCC Denies Raiding Atiku’s Sons’ Apartments
- Admits investigating son of former Abia governor Orji
Alex Enumah in Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has described as false reports that its operatives at the weekend raided the Abuja residences of two sons of Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar.
The Spokesman of the Commission, Tony Orilade, who made the denial while speaking with THISDAY on Monday, advised journalists to get their facts right before going to press. He recalled that the press had last week reported that the commission froze the accounts of the PDP Vice presidential candidate, Peter Obi, a report he said was not true.
There were reports Monday that the anti graft agency had raided a building in Abuja, housing an apartment occupied by two sons of Atiku Abubakar, over the weekend.
The reports noted that the building also houses an apartment occupied by Chiemeka Orji, son of ex-Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji.
However, responding to the issue, Orilade said the EFCC had been on the trail of one of the sons of the former governor of Abia State, Ogonna Orji, through whom he said the father laundered funds belonging to Abia State.
He said the commission had laid siege to a night club in Abuja, where Ogbonna Orji had gone clubbing and only apprehended him around 5am Monday morning when he was about entering his vehicle, a range rover.
Orilade said, also apprehended along with Ogbonna was his friend, Kelvin Ilunah, who was using another car worth about 35m, a car said to be linked to Ogbonna.
He added that after the arrest, they followed them to their house in Maitama where they conducted a search on the three flats which they said were their residence as well as office. According to Orilade, findings by the operatives showed that the rent paid for each of the flats was N13m annually, adding that the commission is currently investigating the motor company where the vehicles were both.
He wondered why Atiku’s son was linked to the investigation of Theodore Orji’s son and appealed to journalist to always crosscheck their facts before publication.
