EFCC Places Saraki, Kwara Associates On Travel Ban

By Rufus Ike

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC may have placed the immediate past President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki and some of his associates from Kwara State on a travel watchlist it emerged on Wednesday.

EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu on Wednesday said the agency had submitted the names of some “highly placed individuals” from the state to the Nigerian Immigration Service to prevent them from getting passports with forged documents.

He said that the commission had information that some of the people currently being investigated by the commission in the state were making desperate efforts to get alternative travelling documents to enable them abscond.

The EFCC had few weeks ago claimed that the commission was investigating Saraki’s stewardship of the state and the National Assembly.

Magu spoke through the Ilorin Zonal Head of the Commission, Mr Isyaku Sharu who on his behalf, received the Comptroller of Immigration Service, Kwara State Command, Edith Onymenam, who led other NIS senior officers on a courtesy visit  to Ilorin Zonal Office  of the Commission.

Magu disclosed that the need to familiarise the NIS with the particulars of such personalities under EFCC’s investigation became necessary following intelligence at the disposal of the Commission that some highly-placed individuals undergoing corruption probe and on the Commission’s watch list in the state have procured forged police reports with which they plan to apply for alternative international passports to escape from the country.

According to Magu, “Information at the  disposal of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Ilorin reveals that these highly placed individuals are planning  to use forged  police reports to re-apply for  another international passports to flee the country in other to escape prosecution and justice. “The Commission urges you to use your good office to place these individuals under strict  surveillance,” he said.

The EFCC boss who expressed joy at the visit said, “Your coming today  is a welcome development. As stipulated in EFCC  Establishment Act, the Nigerian  Immigration  Service is a member of the Commission. We can’t do anything without  you. If we don’t collaborate with  your office, we can’t get it right.”

In her remarks Onymenam commended the anti-graft body  for the existing cordial relationship between the two  agencies.

” I am delighted to be here this  morning. We have existing  relationship already. I am here to see that the relationship is well cemented. I want  to see  your support. My office will also give you support as well. If there is anything you want from my office, I will equally  do that,” Onymenam said.

Reacting to the EFCC watch list,  Onymenam said there was no cause  for alarm, assuring that the suspects would  not get another  international passports.

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