The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has said that the arrest of Babalele Abdullahi, son-in-law of Atiku Abubakar borders on alleged money laundering.
Atiku is the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate in the February 23 election and Abdullahi is also the finance director of his group of companies.
Atiku and the leading opposition, PDP, have described the arrest of Abdullahi as politically motivated.
Atiku said the arrest was a way of forcing him to stop his bid to challenge the victory of Buhari during the presidential election.
He however said that would not stop him from going to court to prove that Buhari’s election was a fraud.
But speaking with News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the acting spokesman of EFCC, Tony Orilade, said Abdullahi, Atiku’s son-in-law was being held over alleged money laundering.
He however did not state the amount involved.
“We are investigating a case of money laundering against Abdullahi. We shall speak at the appropriate time,” Orilade said.
Decrying the development, Atiku, in a statement issued by his media aide, Paul Ibe gave an account of how operatives of the EFCC invaded the residence and office of Abdullahi.
The statement reads: “The EFCC agents numbering about two dozen came in two regular vehicles, an 18-seater Toyota bus with registration number Abuja CS 522 RSH and a Hilux van.
“They came with a warrant to search the house and office of Abdullahi and found nothing incriminating.
“They then proceeded to his office at Oakland Centre in Maitama and found nothing incriminating there.
“However, they took away some documents of landed property. Not done, the EFCC officials stormed his Wuse residence where they again found nothing incriminating after searching.
“Afterwards, Abdullahi was taken away to the EFCC office in Wuse to make a statement.”
