Ex Army Intelligence Chief, Letam Wiwa Not Arrested - EFCC Debunk Viral Report

Posted by Odinaka on Mon 15th Feb, 2016 - tori.ng

A former Director of Military Intelligence which was alleged to have come under the searchlight as the investigation continues into the the misappropriation of arms deal fund by military officers, has finally spoken out.

Nigeria's anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, debunked the viral report which stated that former director of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), General Letam Wiwa, was arrested and currently in its custody.

EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, in response to an enquiry by Premium Times, said, "I can’t find any such detainee in our records. I can’t find anything on him."

Another top official of the anti-graft agency also told the publication that reports of Gen. Wiwa’s arrest were untrue. "We are not aware of any such arrest," the official said.

It can be recalled that some newspapers had claimed on Monday morning that Wiwa, a major general, was arrested at the weekend and transferred to Abuja for further questioning by EFCC operatives over alleged involvement in a $2.1 billion arms deal.

When contacted, Gen. Wiwa, who is currently the deputy commandant at the Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, also told the publication on Monday morning that he was in his office in Oshodi, Lagos and was never arrested or detained by the EFCC.

"I just woke up this morning, and people started calling me that they saw reports of my arrest in the papers I was really surprised. And that must be a magic arrest. I am now sitting in my office in Oshodi, Lagos. The papers were just too audacious. They didn’t even ask the army whether any such arrest happened. There was not even an invitation, let alone an arrest," said Wiwa, in response to an enquiry by the publication.

According to him, the operations of the DMI has nothing to do with procurement of equipment for the army or any security agency.