EFCC grills Fani-Kayode over ‘fraud’

Femi Fani-Kayode, a former minister of aviation, was, on Tuesday, questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged fraud.

Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC spokesman, confirmed the development to TheCable in a terse text message on Tuesday.

“True,” Uwujaren said in a text message when asked to confirm the development.

The former minister is said to have been questioned at the Lagos zonal command of the EFCC over allegations of fraud — including forgery

Speaking on the development in a statement, Fani-Kayode said he was invited by the commission.

He, however, didn’t give details on why he was asked to present himself at the EFCC office.

“Just arrived at the George Hotel for dinner. I was never arrested by the EFCC. I was invited & I flew down to Lagos to see them,” he wrote.

“I arrived in their office at 2.00pm & left at 8.30pm. I was granted bail on self recognition. They were very polite & professional. Thanks be to God.”

In 2016, the anti-graft agency arraigned Fani-Kayode, a member of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential campaign team, alongside Nenadi Usman, a former minister of state for finance, on a 17-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering and diversion of N4.9 billion.

Others listed as defendants are Danjuma Yusuf and a company, Joint Trust Dimensions Limited.

At the last sitting in October, the federal high court in Lagos had awarded a fine of N200,000 against the former minister for his absence in court to take his plea in the alleged N4.6 billion fraud.

The matter was adjourned till November 30, 2021, for the re-arraignment of the defendants.

Meanwhile, Fani-Kayode’s questioning by the EFCC comes weeks after he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).