EFCC says guilty lawmakers will not escape justice

The EFCC also said that it would prosecute every House of Representatives member found guilty of the allegations.

The assurance was given on Monday, August 29, 2016, by EFCC Deputy Director, Operations, Lagos, Iliyasu Kwarbai while speaking to protesters who were demonstrating against the apparent silence of the agency on the allegations.

“We are already in receipt of petitions from some other members of the public and the investigation is being done in Abuja. When petitions are received, we look at them, make some analyses, and commence investigation,” Kwarbai said according to Punch.

“We do what we call preliminary investigation without inviting the accused persons. We carry out some investigations and gather some facts to ascertain the truthfulness of that petition. When we find them culpable, then, we go into inviting the accused persons.

“What we are doing is to look at the case since we have already received some of the petitions; our men are already on the ground, carrying out very thorough investigations. So don’t be in doubt; the EFCC cannot be cowed. Anybody involved in corruption, no matter how highly placed, we don’t cover any person at all.

“Once we receive your petition, once it is being investigated, once you are indicted, definitely, we go into inviting you. Definitely, whoever is involved in the issue of budget padding will never go free,” he added.

Details of the alleged scandal were provided by the former Chairman of the House Appropriation Committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin.

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According to Jibrin, Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and other principal officers of the House connived to smuggle N284 billion into the budget.

Other legislators named in the scandal are: Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun; Chief Whip, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa and Minority Leader, Leo Ogor.