The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has on Friday, August 12, explained why it barred a Member of the House of Representatives from travelling out of the country on Thursday, August 11.
Sunday Karim, who was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, representing Yagba East/Yagba West/Mopa-Muro Federal Constituency of Kogi State, was reported to have been stopped by the State Security Service, SSS, at the Abuja International Airport, as he prepared to board a flight to the United States of America, USA.
Spokesman for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren said, Karim became a person of interest, because he allegedly received up to N200 million through a company linked to him.
According to reports, the SSS operative having intercepted Karim, immediately seized his international passport, after his luggage had been checked in by Air France.
Although, his luggage was later reported to have been handed over to him, as he returned home humiliated.
The SSS was said to have acted on the tip off by the EFCC, as he has been elusive for weeks.
“We’ve been looking for him since then, but we couldn’t find him,” the EFCC said.“So we had to put his name on the watch list”.
The firm Atlantic Drilling Fluids, was said to have been used by the Lawmaker to receive N200 million.
The firm, Atlantic Drilling Fluids, allegedly received the funds from Sylvan MacNamara, a company linked to the sons of a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, the EFCC said.
Sylvan MacNamara, was itself a subject of months of intense investigation by the authorities.
As at Friday afternoon, Karim, was said to have reported at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, and was later allowed to go, on the condition that he would return on Monday for further interrogations.
Karim, speaking after, lamented that the EFCC and the SSS, did not send him any prior notice of summon and wondered why they choose to humiliate him and his public image in the eyes of the right thinking Nigerians.
He said, “EFCC said I cannot travel. Nigeria has become such a lawless country?“If you have issues, you would call me and get a statement from me,” he added.
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