The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) has obtained a court order to detain the embattled Senator Shehu Sani, for 14 days to allow a thorough investigation of his alleged involvement in name-dropping and extortion.
The Herald gathered that the development followed new allegations levelled against the ex-lawmaker by the complainant, Alhaji Sani Dauda.
Shehu Sani was arrested on New Year ‘s Eve by the EFCC operatives in Abuja for allegedly extorting $10,000 from Dauda, the Chairman of ASD Motors.
Daudu had petitioned the anti-graft commission’s boss, Ibrahim Magu, accusing the senator who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th Senate of extorting $10,000 from him.
Daudu accused Sani of demanding $20,000 dollars to help him settle an ongoing case with the EFCC, adding that he gave the senator $10,000 out of the demanded sum.
The petition led to the embattled senator’s arrest and detention by EFCC operatives on Tuesday. Sani was said to have made a written statement to investigators denying the accusations.
Meanwhile, The Herald reported that the vocal senator protested his innocence and will face-off with his accuser in the anti-graft agency’s office on Thursday.
According to the paper, Sani has also expressed readiness to face Daudu, who is the Chairman/CEO of ASD Motors, at trial to prove his innocence.
“During interrogation by our detectives and in his written statement, Sani said he did not collect $20,000 from the Chairman/ CEO of ASD Motors, Alhaji Sani Dauda,” The paper quoted an EFCC source as saying.
He said: “He also said since he does not work with EFCC, he could not have asked for cash to intercede on a case on Dauda’s behalf with the Acting EFCC chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.
“Although he admitted knowing the car dealer and commiserating with him over an incident in November 2019, he said he was prepared to protect his integrity before detectives and in court.”