The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, today (May 8, 2013) arrested the former governor of
Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva.
He was picked up at his No. 3, Niger Street, Maitama, Abuja home.
The EFCC says in a statement Wednesday
that on arrival at the facility at about 10.00 am, its operatives were
told Mr. Sylva was not in town but that they insisted on conducting a
search on the house having obtained a warrant from the court.
“During the search, vital documents were
obtained. Ironically, the ex-governor who was said to be out of town
was later found hiding in a dingy corner in the upper chamber of his
expansive mansion,” the statement by the commission’s spokesperson,
Wilson Uwujaren said.
Mr. Uwujaren continues, “He was
immediately whisked away and is currently being interrogated at the
Abuja headquarters of the anti- graft agency. He is being grilled in
connection with fresh evidence linking him with a bouquet of fraudulent
transactions that borders on money laundering. Part of the new evidence
includes a number of eye-popping real estate acquisitions in Abuja.
“The arrest of the former governor is
sequel to his refusal to honour invitations by the Commission. Rather
than appear before the EFCC, he got his lawyers to inform the Commission
that he was unable to appear because he was sick, and hospitalised in
Lagos. The lawyer had promised to appear with his client on May 7, 2013
but failed to do so.”
The Commission, the statement adds, will not longer tolerate the antics of suspects who treat its invitation with levity.
