The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, on Thursday said the minister who he had earlier said bought $37.5 million property from a bank and deposited $20 million cash is not a serving minister.
He said he was referring to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, who is currently at large.
Bawa said the former minister would still be prosecuted once she returns to Nigeria.
He spoke at a press briefing at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Recall that Bawa had on Tuesday, in an interview with Sunrise Daily on Channels TV, disclosed that the EFCC investigated a female minister who purchased bought $37.5 million property from a bank and deposited $20 million in cash.
“We investigated a matter in which a bank MD marketed a property to a minister who agreed to purchase it at $37.5 million.
“The bank then sent a vehicle to her house to evacuate $20 million from her house in the first instance,” he had said.
Meanwhile, Govenor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has called on President Buhari to produce the supposed corrupt minister in his cabinet.
Ortom made the appeal on Thursday while answering questions from newsmen in Makurdi shortly after delivering his keynote speech at the Makurdi branch of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) law week.
Ortom said, “Today in Nigeria, there’s no equity, no fairness, no justice. Look at all the things he promised Nigerians that he will do. Is it corruption? Is it electricity, is it security or what?
“You can imagine, a minister serving currently in the Federal Republic of Nigeria was caught buying a $37million estate. And we are told by the EFCC Chairman himself that this Minister remitted $20million to the bank. And EFCC was able to track this money and got it. What have we heard about it? Who is that Minister?
“If Mr. President is a man of Integrity, he should bring that Minister out and let him face prosecution. But for this issue of selective justice against people. Is it not here that an APC (National) Chairman came and said when you join APC you have Saint and your old sins are forgiven and they will draw a line?”
