By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
ABUJA – CHAIRMAN of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, Wednesday said that his agency would not relent in its efforts to arrest and prosecute the former Director General of the Department of State Security, DSS, Mr. Ita Ekpenyong and the sacked Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ambassador Ayo Oke.
Speaking to State House correspondents after the inauguration of the Audit Committee on the Recovery and Management of Stolen Assets within and outside Nigeria by President Muhammadu Buhari, at the First Lady’s Conference room, Presidential Villa, Abuja, Magu said he was not in any way deterred by the prevention of their arrest of the two former heads of government agencies by armed men from DSS and NIA.
He said that both Ekpenyong and Oke must be made to face the law, claiming that the EFCC has concrete evidence against them.
Recall that there was confusion in Asokoro District of Abuja on Tuesday when armed guards of the NIA and DSS prevented officials of the EFCC from arresting their former bosses residing in the area.
It was reported that attempts by EFCC officials and policemen to arrest Ekpeyong and Oke, were resisted by armed officials at their homes on Mamman Nasir Street in the Asokoro district of Abuja.
This resistance led to a stand-off between armed security officers from all the four agencies, causing traffic mayhem in the area.
Armed plain-clothed security personnel were also reported to have mounted strategic positions on the street.
Reporters were prevented from getting to the end of the street around 3pm Tuesday, while efforts to access the street from two adjoining streets were rebuffed by armed mobile policemen.
Residents of the area, were said to have been frustrated at the closure of the street as they could not access their homes.
Ekpeyong is being investigated for offences bordering on alleged theft and diversion of public funds in the arms deal saga involving a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), and other service chiefs who have since been arraigned.
