Obanikoro Dares FG to Extradite Him From U.S

 

A former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, yesterday, lashed out at the Nigerian government, a day after operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission raided his home and a property belonging to his son, Jide, in Lagos.

However, following the challenge thrown to the EFCC by Obanikoro to show evidence of his sons’ involvement in money laundering, the commission said last night it would not be distracted but would do its job.

Mr. Obanikoro in a series of tweets he posted on his Twitter page, @MObanikoro, yesterday morning, said he was not aware of any investigation into his activities when he held different ministerial portfolios in the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that he was being victimised because of his political affiliation.

Mr. Obanikoro said any extradition proceeding against him would not stand the test of a decent judicial system, especially in the United States.

“Rumours of extradition are also lies – false allegations cannot stand up to any decent legal inquiry in a civilised system such as in the U.S,” he asserted.

Mr. Obanikoro said his travails at the hands of anti-graft officials were calculated to divert the attention of Nigerians away from the “abysmal and ignominious economic records” of Mr. Buhari.

“This is a government determined to outdo the abysmal and ignominious economic records of Dec. 31, 1983 to August 27, 1985 that ended in shame,” he claimed

Meanwhile, the EFCC said last night that it would not be distracted by Obanikoro’s outburst but do its job without fear or favour.

The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, told Vanguard last night that there was no need for the commission to dissipate energy on a matter that was straightforward and incontrovertible.

Uwujaren challenged Obanikoro to come out of his hiding and face the evidence before the commission in court so as to prove his innocence and that of his children.