FAKE REPORT IN THE NATION NEWSPAPER THAT I AM IN HIDING AND RUNNING FROM THE EFCC - Fani Kayode

The former Aviation Minister, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode has refuted the reports by the Nation Newspaper that he was hiding and running away from the Economic and Financial Crime Commission.

Fani-Kayode said "I have just read some absurd media reports in the Nation Newspaper which have qouted their sources in the EFCC as saying that I had gone underground and that I was hiding from them. This is false.!

I have not been invited by the EFCC by letter and neither have they phoned me or attempted to reach me in any other way. I have been in my Abuja home for the last few weeks and I am not hiding from anyone.

The Nation had reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detectives yesterday arrested former Imo State Governor Achike Udenwa over the disbursement of a huge sum of money during the 2015 presidential election.
Of the N4billion withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), N2.5 billion was paid into the accounts of six chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including Udenwa, and the Goodluck Support Group (GSG).
As of last night, Udenwa was still being detained at the Lagos State office of the anti-graft agency, which has launched a manhunt for a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode.
Of the six people implicated in the scandal, only a former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Nenadi Usman, has been grilled by detectives.The details of how the cash was disbursed are: Fani-Kayode (N840million); Goodluck Support Group (N320million); Achike Udenwa and Viola Onwuliri (N350million); Nenadi Usman (N140million); Olu Falae(N100m) and Okey Ezenwa (N100million).

EFCC has launched a manhunt for a former Aviation Minister Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, who “has refused to report to the agency for interaction”.
According to the newspaper qouating the EFCC source; “All attempts by our operatives to locate the whereabouts of Mr. Fani-Kayode have failed because he has not only switched off his phones, he has virtually gone underground,” the source said, adding: “We will fish him out wherever he is. Having been watch-listed by the EFCC, he cannot hide for long .”
Fani-Kayode is rated as “the chief beneficiary” of the disbursement of the slush funds as he allegedly received N840million, paid in three tranches into his Zenith Bank, Maitama branch account with No.1004735721.
The EFCC source gave the details of the transactions from Mrs Usman company’s accounts to Fani-Kayode and others.
The source said: “The first tranche of payment involving N350million hit the account on February 19, 2015. Another N250milion was also paid into the account on February19, 2015 while N240million was similarly credited to the account a month later; precisely March 19, 2015.“The balance on this account as at 31st December, 2015 was N189, 402.72.”

The Goodluck Support Group allegedly received N320million

Falae allegedly received N100m through Marreco Limited, a company in which he is listed as chairman. The fund was credited into the company’s United Bank for Africa Plc account No. 1000627022 on March 25, 2014. The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation has denied any wrongdoing.

“Both Achike Udenwa and Viola Onwuliri got N350million in two tranches. The first tranche of N150million was paid into their joint account with Zenith Bank on January 13, 2015. The second tranche of N200miilion was credited into their account with Diamond Bank,” the source said, pleading not to be named because he is not permitted to talk to the media.

Okey Ezenwa is believed to have received N100million.

Fani-Kayode has said that he got the cash for campaign purposes and that he rendered and account of how it was spent. He never knew the source of the cash, he said.

Udenwa said: “The money was disbursed with approval from the presidential campaign headquarters. It was not paid into my personal account.”

Fani-Kayode said: "I am not a coward and this attempt to further demonise and humiliate me by the EFCC will fail. If they have any questions for me why don't they just write to me or call me, give me a date and I will be in their office."

"I have made my position clear on the issue of the Presidential campaign funds, I have written an essay about it in my various columns about two weeks ago and I have been waiting for the EFCC to reach me ever since then."

"They have invited others but they have not invited me. I do not believe that I have done anything wrong and this latest attempt to criminalise me and make me look like a fugitive from justice will fail."

"Others that were invited to the EFCC over this same campaign funds issue were sent letters of invitation and were reached. I appear to be the exception and now these hideous lies are being fed to the newspapers to make it look as if I am in hiding or that I am running from them just to sensationalise the whole issue."

This is also to justify what the EFCC wish to do which is to arrest me in public, humiliate me or to storm my home and lock me up indefinitely. There is no need for all that drama and if it happens that way the Nigerian people will know why.

"I have no fear of the EFCC, I will respond to their invitation any day and anytime they send it to me and I will help them to clarify whatever issues they wish to raise in any way that I can."

"Others were invited in a civilised way and were treated in a humane and decent manner."

"I really do wonder why I should be treated differently, criminalized in the newspapers in this way and not even afforded the common courtesy of a formal invitation by them. I await their letter or their call and I leave those that wish to give the impression that I am running from them to God."