MEDIATRACNET
The former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has landed in fresh trouble, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested and detained him in its custody on Saturday over allegations of serial theft, corruption and money laundering.
The allegation traced to his time as the governor of Kwara State, sources close to the anti-graft agency told our reporter in Abuja, involved allegations that the former No.4 citizen stole and laundered public funds through a ring of associates and allies in companies within and outside the country affiliated to him.
Saraki, who served as the president of the Nigerian 8th Senate between 2015 and 2019, had a very turbulent tenure, as he spent the bulk of the time fighting to clear himself of various allegations of corruption and abuse of office.
The case that almost truncated his political career shortly before the end of his tenure in the National Assembly was related to corruption charges against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau concerning alleged false declaration of his assets while in office.
The Bureau in a 13-count charge accused Saraki of offences, including anticipatory false declaration of assets in his Code of Conduct forms filed while in office as the governor of Kwara state.
But in June 2018, the Supreme Court acquitted and discharged him of all charges, which later amended to 18 in February 2017.
However, the latest case for which he is being held, this newspaper learned on Saturday, relates to his use of his fronts to execute various contracts valued at several millions of Naira as well as foreign currencies, which the anti-graft agency alleged were corruptly awarded.
Details of the allegation were not immediately available at the time of this report. But an official close to the anti-graft agency said they would become clearer as investigations continue in the coming days.
EFCC spoke spokesperson, Wilson Uwujare did respond to calls to his telephone by our reporter seeking more information on the arrest of the former lawmaker and governor.