Why we arrested him – EFCC

ABUJA — ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, explained that its operatives had to arrest former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole ahead of today’s date he gave to surrender himself because he was discovered to be plotting other schemes to thwart his voluntary surrender or arrest.

He was arrested in his Asokoro, Abuja residence at about 8.00 p.m on Sunday after resisting arrest again for more than four hours.

The Commission in a statement signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Femi Babafemi, yesterday, said: “The EFCC Chairman, Mrs. Farida Waziri, was compelled to order the immediate arrest of Mr. Bankole after analyzing an intelligence report which showed that the former Speaker was planning to leave Abuja for Lagos on Sunday evening and thereafter flee the country through an illegal route.”

It will be recalled that Mr. Bankole had twice shunned invitations extended to him in the last two weeks by the EFCC, an impunity that climaxed last Friday when he resisted attempts by operatives to arrest him in his Asokoro, Abuja residence.

The EFCC operatives had to be withdrawn after over five hours stand-off after a commitment from Mr. Bankole that he was going to surrender himself on Monday.

The statement added: “While our men kept surveillance around the former Speaker hoping he will honour his promise to report on Monday, a fresh intelligence gathered by the Commission showed that Mr. Bankole was not ready to keep his promise but was rather planning other schemes to escape from the country through an illegal route or obtain a restraining court order early on Monday to prevent the Commission from effecting his arrest or prosecution.”

Meanwhile, the former Speaker will remain in custody to enable him have sufficient time to answer questions on the numerous fraud allegations against him.