The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday detained Mrs. Precious Fani-Kayode, who is the wife of a former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, in Ado Ekiti for hours.
Precious, who was a guest of Governor Ayodele Fayose, had gone to a branch of Access Bank in Ado Ekiti around 3pm when she was detained by officials of the bank.
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| Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and Mrs Fani-Kayode after her release. |
Sensing that she was not being promptly attended to, she inquired from officials what the problem was and was told she was being detained on the instructions of the EFCC.
Precious, who had her eight-month-old baby with her at the time, was prevented from leaving the banking hall thereafter.
It took the intervention of Fayose, who led scores of supporters to the bank around 7pm to secure her release.
Speaking with our correspondent after the incident, Mrs. Fani-Kayode lamented that she was badly treated by the officials while her baby was denied food.
She stated, “I’m not a politician and that account had been dormant for about five years. I only activated it last month in Port Harcourt.
“I decided to go to Access Bank to make some withdrawals when I was detained on the instructions of the EFCC.
“They told me the account had been frozen and they were asked by the EFCC to arrest me on the spot.
“I have been operating the account since 2005 when I was a student in the university. They had earlier frozen my two bank accounts which they have not opened till today and I have been waiting for them to invite me, but up till today, they have not.
“The balance in the account is just N200,000; so, I don’t know what their interest is. I’m a private person. I have not received any political fund; so, why are they trying to starve my family?
“That account has nothing to do with politics. This is dehumanising. I had to call the governor to inform him of the development.”
Condemning the action of the EFCC and the attitude of the bank officials, Fayose warned the anti-graft agency against becoming lawless and reckless against Nigerians.
He asked the commission to prepare for a stiff resistance if it did not stop “persecuting” him and his friends.
Fayose added, “They can’t try that nonsense in my state. If they try it, there will be a showdown. They are over-stepping their boundary. This is a country that operates a constitution. What kind of molestation is this, taking away the rights of Nigerians because you are investigating?
“Must they terrorise people because they are in opposition? I have demanded an apology from the bank. If it fails to do that, I’m done with them. This is lawlessness.”
In a telephone interview with newsmen, Femi Fani-Kayode, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, urged the government to leave his family members alone and face him.
Fani-Kayode stated, “This government is sick and cowardly and so is the EFCC. If you have a problem with me, face me and leave my family alone.
“My wife travelled to Ado Ekiti to see my friend and brother, Governor Fayose, and his family. They were on their way out of town when they went to Access Bank in Ado Ekiti to get some money.
“They were illegally detained, brutalised and put under arrest on the orders of the EFCC at a bank in Ado Ekiti today.
“She has never had any business with me; she has never been formally invited by the EFCC or asked any questions about her transactions and neither has it written to her on any issue even though it is always sending letters to my house and sending people there.
“If Buhari wants to deal with me, why doesn’t he face me like a man instead of trying to harm and hurt my eight-month-old son and wife.
“Had it not been for the intervention of Governor Ayo Fayose, they would have taken them away and subjected them to all manner of harm and indignity simply because she is married to me.
“This is Buhari’s Nigeria and we will resist his wickedness and tyranny.”
Fani-Kayode said he intended to sue the bank and the EFCC for this “illegal and wicked action.”
He added, “They have no right to do this. If they want to see my wife, all they need to do is to invite her. We have nothing to fear. They do not need to be so primitive and barbaric to people.
“In an attempt to starve and harass me and my family, all my accounts and wife’s accounts have been frozen.
“Now, they are resorting to arresting people’s wives and children for no just cause.”
In its reaction, the EFCC denied detaining Fani-Kayode’s wife and the son.
In a statement by the commission’s spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, on Monday night, the anti-graft agency said the ex-minister’s wife attempted to withdraw money from an account which the agency had frozen.
The statement read in part, “Contrary to the spin about the purported arrest of mother and child, a certain Chikwendu Sonia today attempted to withdraw money from an Access Bank account that had been placed on ‘Post No Debit’ Category, following the discovery of illicit cash flows into the account.
“She was intercepted by the bank while the commission was notified, but because it was late, the EFCC advised that the suspect be taken to the police station for processing and release on bail.
“They were arranging to take the suspect to the police station when Governor Ayo Fayose stormed the bank with thugs and his personal security and forcefully secured the release of the suspect, with claims that the EFCC had no power to detain anybody in his state. He also vowed to close down the branch of the bank.
“The said account, which had a balance of N2,307,712.82, was flagged following investigation into the PDP Joint Trust Fund when the commission traced N1.1bn to the Zenith Bank account of Fani-Kayode.
“It was discovered that the account had two biometric identification numbers, one for Fani-Kayode and the other (with BVN 2205597283) for Sonia Chikwendu. The same BVN is linked to two other accounts in Diamond Bank and 15 accounts in Guaranty Trust Bank.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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You people (Fani Kayode & Fayose) just like cheap publicity. An account you have not operated for five years. You travelled to Port Harcourt of all places to reactivate the account. You did not withdraw any cash in PH thereafter. Went to visit Ayo Fayose who does not have any cash to give you maybe for transport and you had to stop over the bank to withdraw from your account of N200,000 balance. How much were you withdrawing? Its has been long you and your husband entered headline news. Thank you Nigerians have acknowledged that by this drama. Only the bank detained you but EFCC is the one you are shouting up and down. When you reactivated the account in PH what did your account officer tell you? Come Nigerians understand banking processes and regulations. Thank God your baby did not die in this your soap opera or home video.
ReplyDeleteMr long talking. The issue is was the woman and the baby molested or not. Education can still keep you foolish. Mr sycophant what is wrong with port Harcourt? If only your parents did better family planning.
DeleteHey...speak in a responsible manner. How dear you speak of a young baby in that way? Even if you hate the father, don't wish the baby death. This statement made your words invalid
DeleteI wondder why people like u behave like this..... if u didn't have anything to say then keep quiet
DeleteThe bible said if u did not hav any reasonable thing to talk then keep silence, u hav shown that u hav low sence if reasoning. Fool
DeleteFayose has just succeeded in diverting our national attention from Obanikoro in Abuja.
ReplyDeleteYou are lucky Madam. Reactivated the account in Port Harcourt. Withdrawing in Ekiti, please when you want to deposit, travel to Enugu state. And let Executive Governors be escorting you for your banking transactions. Bravo
ReplyDeleteI love fayose due. Dis man na man no argument.
ReplyDeleteDetaining the woman and child for that matter is wrong. These are people that have known addresses. We have not been told that they are on wanted list. No one should go through this kind of treatment. It may be FFK today but it could be anyone tomorrow.
DeleteEFCC should be civil and not treat everyone as criminal. Even criminals have some rights
Thank you my brother, i pity all those blind individuals castigating him. This Government is gradually turning to dictatorship and we are keeping mute to all these excesses by EFCC and DSS. Buhari is using them to intimidate his presumed opposition members. Look at how the Fulanis are wiping out the Northern minorities and he has never done anything.
ReplyDeleteWake up brother, this your ethnic and sentimental comments does not work again. If you steal now, let Buhari arrest you with Devil we don't care
DeleteWhat is the lies in this matter? Why can't some Nigerians reason like human beings. Is it bcos their families are not d ones involved? Why should she be detained cos of frozen account if I may ask? That is what I failed to understand. This lawlessness needs to stop on the part of EFCC. Let's call a spade a spade
ReplyDeleteI wonder the kind of human being we are in this country. If we are financially poor does that translate to poor brains? Look at this woman excuses. An account that has been flagged for no debit transaction by the EFCC, she left Lagos to withdraw in Ekiti, let her go to Mali. Yeye people. Why won't Fayose support her! Show me your friend and I will know the type of person you are. What work has she done to have a balance of #2.3b in her account. They are here making noise and fools are supporting them. This money belongs to all of us. You are talking about a child, off course the little boy is innocent, but do you know how many innocent adults and children that have been sent to their early graves because of the attitudes of these greedy individuals? As for Fayose, the day of reckoning is at hand.
ReplyDeleteYou try o, 200,000 naira has turned to 2 billion. Since when are people arrested for trying to withdraw money from a frozen account. And if it was frozen how come they allowed her to reactivate the account that was dormant. Surely we have entered one chance and are now in a dictatorship.
Delete2.3billion???haba,must you comment???why disgracing yourself...
DeleteU claim d money belongs to all of us, what has happened to the ones d fed govt has retrieved, d collect this money and share it within themselves and u and I are suffering. Yet ur here supporting the action of EFCC doing d bidding of this dumb govt. Detaining a woman with and 8months old child, is wickedness at its apex, May God deliver us from this evil
DeleteMr Adekunle. Pls correct yourself. The balance was N2.3million, not billion. Also, she reactivated last month in PH. Must she remain there for a month just to withdraw small cash?
ReplyDeleteShe reactivated the account? What did her account officer tell her? If you choose to commit crime with a day old baby in hand i will not be too bothered how you are treated. I do not support or wish harm on the innocent child but no sentiments in criminal offenses of parents. There are some nursing mothers in police cell as we speak now, why are Nigerians not sympathizing with them?
DeleteEven if the Fayose gave her N500,000.00 does that mean she cannot withdraw cash from her personal account. If she is one of our wife, how do we take the case with the EFCC with ease abi?. Go to these banks today and see how they operate and you will not belive your eyes, they operate like the police in their stations. Please lets be frank here,this matter could happen to any one of us. And the way EFCC AND INEC are going these days am afraid what will become of this country very soon. We all have to be vigilant and see deeply what is going on and be over supportive of any individual in power or out of power, these politician need to treated like any human that needs treatment. Many of them sucks human blood and that is when they are happy.The world is gradually coming to an end.
ReplyDeleteMy wife should not go to bank to withdraw money from a frozen account until the account is unfrozen. Period. Carrying my baby along i will be more angry with her.
DeleteFayose and kayode are trying to use the woman for fraud nii jor,you left lagos to withdraw in ekiti,are we fools,God will soon punish anybody with our money
ReplyDeleteU pple r just talkong nonsense.efcc can detain if a person is wanted wit dem.en mrova dey v to take her and her baby or should they have left the baby for someone else?she went as far as ekiti to withdraw.haba.dr s something fishy here.wag business does she have dt she had to fly al d way 4rm abuja to ibadan cos no aiport in ekiti en den drive down to ekiti just to see fayose.dt s very stupid even risking the life of her baby dt u guys r shouting.fayose has 2 be stopped.i used to like him but now he s gettin out of hand.fani kayode s girlfriend shud be careful cos she s kind of dabblin into politics.she s too young for all dis mess she s putting herself into
ReplyDeleteThis is absolute madness from EFCC. EFCC is contradicting themselves they said the account has been placed with NO DEBIT post status how on earth can she withdraw money from such account. am sure immediately if the account have issue as per efcc her account officer would have called and notify her of the development so she wouldn't have had no need going to the bank in the first place except the bank is also trying to play ball.
ReplyDelete