A special team has been instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe ex-Chiefs of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. O.A. Ihejirika and Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah and 52 others in connection with arms deals during the immediate past administration.
This is just as it was learnt that the relevant security agencies have been placed on the alert to restrict the movement of most of those listed for probe, to the country.
The interrogation of some of the serving and retired public/military officers may commence as early as Monday, highly placed sources hinted yesterday.
The setting up of a special team followed the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari of the recommendations of the third interim report of the Presidential Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment, headed by AVM JON Ode.
The EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu constituted the special team to handle the interrogation.
A reliable source said: “The Presidency referred the report to the EFCC over one week ago. We have been doing a lot of legal and forensic analysis of the findings.
“As I speak with you, the EFCC chairman has raised a special team to interrogate those recommended for probe.
“For concentration, members of the team had been detached from other assignments in their care before this report came.
“Having done preliminary work on the report, we might begin the interrogation of some of the key suspects as from Monday”.
The special team is expected to “work in collaboration with other security agencies”.
“Apart from putting some of those affected in detention, the movement of some of the serving and retired public/military officers has been restricted to the country; and most of them are now under surveillance by security agencies”, the source added.
Aside Ihejirika and Minimah, others recommended for probe are 16 other retired and serving Army officers, 12 serving and retired public officers and 24 Chief Executive Officers of companies involved in the procurement of equipment.
They include a former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (II), Dr. Nurudeen Mohammed and three former permanent secretaries in the Ministry of Defence – Mr. Bukar Goni Aji, Mr. Haruna Sanusi and Mr. E.O Oyemomi.
The CEOs to be investigated include Col. Olu Bamgbose (rtd.) of Bamverde Ltd; Mr. Amity Sade of Doiyatec Comms Ltd and DYI Global Services and Mr. Edward Churchill of Westgate Global Trust Ltd.
