THE immediate past Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, who was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, reported to the Abuja headquarters of the commission to answer allegations levelled against him.
Obanikoro, who has been staying in the United States of America (USA) since the end of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, under whom he served as a minister, came to an end in May, last year.
The former minister, who is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, prior to his appearance at the anti-graft commission on Monday, had been having a running battle with the commission over allegations of financial crimes.
The commission had searched Obanikoro’s house in Ikoyi, Lagos, following claims that the former minister used his sons to siphon public fund using their company, Sylvan McNamara.
The commission also alleged that Obanikoro played vital roles in the build up to the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State, which was won by Ayodele Fayose of the PDP.
He was said to have been involved in air lifting of N1.29 billion from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, out of the N4.745 billion arms funds between April 4, 2014 and December 15, 2014.
The money, it was alleged, was meant to compromise the governorship election in favour of the then PDP candidate, Ayodele Fayose.
Obanikoro, who had sometimes ago said he was not going to return to the country, arrived Lagos on Monday morning and proceeded to Abuja to report at the anti-graft commission’s office.
A source at the commission confirmed that the former minister came to the commission’s office in company with some lawyers and introduced himself at the entrance of the operations section of EFCC at Idiagbon House and was ushered in to an office in the unit.
Obanikoro’s arrival to face interrogators was confirmed by one of the operatives near the main entrance to the Idiagbon House.
