How Ex-Senate President, Saraki Was Arrested After Wedding Ceremony In Abuja

Bukola Saraki

Bukola Saraki, a former Senate President, on Saturday attended a wedding function in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, after which he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, according to SaharaReporters.

Saraki attended the wedding ceremony of the daughter of a former Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Shaaba Lafiagi, in Abuja.

According to Daily Post, the event was disclosed in a tweet by one of Saraki’s close aides, Banks Omisore.

“Dr. @bukolasaraki at the wedding celebration of Alhaji Shaaba Lafiagi’s daughter. Today in Abuja Saturday, 31st July 2021,” Omisore tweeted.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the EFCC held Saraki in its custody over allegations of theft and money laundering.

SaharaReporters had learnt that Saraki was arrested on Saturday and was being interrogated at the Abuja office of the EFCC.

“Yes, Saraki has been arrested. He is going to be released later tonight and ordered to return again tomorrow. He is being interrogated at the Abuja office,” an authoritative source had told SaharaReporters.

As Senate president between 2015 and 2019, Saraki spent a considerable time facing allegations of corruption and false declaration of assets. He was acquitted by the Supreme Court in June 2018.

However, in his new case with the EFCC, Saraki is to answer questions over alleged theft and laundering of public funds using a network of cronies and proxy companies.

The suspected proxies, who executed purported contracts for Kwara State under Saraki, allegedly made returns, for many years, to the former governor, forming an organised network of dirty money flow.

The funds involved were huge, running into hundreds of millions in naira and hundreds of thousands in foreign currencies at various times, sources said.

Anti-graft investigators have obtained a list of the proxy companies involved and analysed a pattern of suspicious transactions between them and Saraki.

One of them has been reportedly responsible for funding Saraki’s lifestyle, including paying over N100million to settle the bills for rent and renovation of Saraki’s Maitama residence.