N12 Million Saga: Investigate Saraki for Money Laundering

We have waited for umpteenth time thinking the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other anti-corruption agencies in the country would do the needful.

We are not only surprised that the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki haven admitted that the sum of N12 million was stolen from his house is still walking around as freeman without undergoing investigation.

We found the statement credited to the spokesman for the Senate President, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu claiming that the stolen N12 million was not public funds but a cash belonging to Mr. Saraki as illogical and open display of incompetence.

For Mr. Olaniyonu to ask whether Mr. Saraki was a poor man before 2003 that he could no longer hold any money is not the answer we demand.

The question is whether Mr. Saraki as the number three citizen of the country infringed on Section 1 of the Money Laundering Act 2011 as amended. The section says, it is a criminal offence for anybody to accept or make cash payment of a sum exceeding N5 million except through financial institutions.

Therefore, we make bold to ask what was Mr. Saraki doing with N12 million in his house?

Since Mr. Olaniyonu claimed the stolen N12 million was not public funds, we dare ask him and his boss to tell Nigerians where is the source of the money?

Finally, as a responsible Civil Society Organisation, we call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria to start investigating Mr. Saraki for money laundering and other related offences.

Signed:

Mr. Brown Justice,

Convener, New Mandate Movement