Anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has beamed its searchlight into a total of 18 senators for alleged connection with N367.5 billion fraud.
The senators under investigation by the anti-graft agency are reported to be chiefly from the north and some of them have also been reported to have had case filed which dates as far back as 10 years.
One of the senators is allegedly being investigated for alleged stamp duty infractions while one of two of the senators who are not part of the 18 under investigation have also been alleged to be involved in the N19 billion and $86 million London-Paris Club refund.
According to The Nation newspaper, 11 of the 18 senators under investigation are from the North while others are from the South. The breakdown of the senators facing trial was given as: two from North central, three from Northwest, one from Northeast and one from Southeast.
Reports further indicated that most of the N367.5 billion alleged fraud is connected to crimes relating to money laundering, misappropriation, unexecuted contracts, diversion of public funds to campaigns, and others.
In one of the cases under investigation by the anti-graft agency, one of the senators is under investigation for the alleged diversion of about N108 billion while serving as a governor in one of the states in the South-South.
Another senator allegedly embezzled about N47 billion when he was a governor, while another is being investigated for alleged mismanagement of N1.2billion ecological funds.
Yet another senator has come under heavy investigation over the diversion of the sum of N1 billion meant for the repair of a collapsed dam.
Other probes include a senator connected with alleged money laundering case to the tune of N40 billion in the North-East; another, diversion of N3 billion to campaign in North-West.
Another senator is also faced with a 149-count charge of mismanagement of N15 billion in the North-Central.
Speaking on the case, an EFCC source said: “The case files of all these 18 senators are already with us. Seven of them are already on trial.
“But, certainly, 11 others will be prosecuted at the appropriate time. It may interest you that some agencies in a few international jurisdictions are interested in some of the cases against some of these senators.
“It might also interest you that some of these cases predated the appointment of the present Acting Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu. But since continuity is a cardinal principle of the EFCC, Magu has decided to ensure that the matters in court are pursued to logical conclusion. There is also no waiver for all cases undergoing investigation.”
The Nation reported the source to have said in response to a question: “Magu has no personal problem with any senator. He inherited most of these cases.”
However, some other senators have also been implicated and have made a “strong case for the discontinuation of either their investigation or prosecution by the EFCC as part of the conditions for supporting Magu.
“In one of the lobbying sessions, a senator from the North-East said he committed no crime to have been subjected to trial by the EFCC.
“Although a Senator from the North-Central was aggrieved, he was reported to have said: ‘I won’t block the nomination of Magu because he is probing me. I have forgiven him. But I know I did not commit any fraud and I will be vindicated in the end.”