Nigeria’s anti-graft agency may secretly write the ex-president whose name it claim has consistently come up in the investigation into the scandal.
An EFCC source said the agency however has no plans to invite the former President but “we may write him to tell us his own side of the story because his name has been coming up in our investigations?”.
The agency however claims it needs the clearance of the president to write the former number one citizen of Nigeria.
In a related development, EFCC may have concluded arrangements to invite some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Those expected for questioning are former board of trustees chairman of the party, Chief Tony Anenih; a former deputy national chairman, Chief Bode George, and others, who were alleged to have received part of the funds meant for arms procurement.
“You see, this is an investigation. In a situation like this, the commission has a thin chance of not inviting those whose names have been thrown up.
“They have to be invited to make clarifications; it does not necessarily mean that they have been indicted but it is only a standard procedure for them to appear to make clarifications where necessary.
Sources say further investigations by the anti-graft agency had shown that many more top Nigerian politicians have benefitted illegally from the arms fund.
“Investigation in many of the cases had been concluded and the suspects will soon be charged to court” one of our sources said.
The source added, however, that a few among them may not be arraigned immediately until the EFCC clears with “higher authorities” because of the status of those involved.
The EFCC had given orders to its agents to arrest some present and former senior government officials in connection with the alleged fraud.
“They are likely to be picked up this week,” a source said, adding “one or two of them are really senior officials.”
The EFCC on December 15 arraigned Sambo Dasuki, a former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda, former Sokoto State governor Attahiru Bafarawa, his son Sagir and others on several charges bordering on money laundering and criminal breach of trust.
Details of a parallel investigation into the arms deal being conducted by the Defence Headquarters have so far remained secret.
It is being rumoured that military commanders, including former service chiefs have appeared before the investigation panel but Defence Headquarters have so far declined comment on the matter.
