Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday quizzed former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, according to SaharaReporters.
Ekweremadu was grilled for alleged fraud and failing to explain how he came to own 22 properties in Nigeria, the United States, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, SaharaReporters has gathered.
EFCC sources said Ekweremadu was interrogated for several hours in Abuja and allowed to go home later. He is expected to return to the commission for further questioning at a later date.
“Ekweremadu returned to the EFCC to offer explanations on how he acquired many choice properties in Nigeria, United States of America and United Arab Emirates.
“He was with us two weeks ago and also on Monday,” a source said.
This comes three years after Ekweremadu fell ill during interrogation by operatives of the anti-graft commission.
The politician in 2018 took ill after some hours of questioning at the EFCC office in Abuja and was released to seek medical attention.
He was reported to have exhibited symptoms of high blood pressure.
The Nigerian government had in March 2018 sought an interim order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to temporarily seize 22 prime properties/assets of Ekweremadu located in London, Dubai, Florida, and Abuja, that were not declared before the CCB.
The motion ex-parte filed by Festus Keyamo (SAN) on behalf of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property was brought before the court pursuant to Section 330 of The Administration Of Criminal Justice Act, 2015; Section 8 Of The Recovery Of Public Property (Special Provisions) Act and Section 44 (2)(K) of the 1999 Constitution.
In an affidavit deposed to in support of the motion ex parte by Yohanna Shankuk, a litigation clerk in Festus Keyamo Chambers, he stated that from 1999 till date, Ekweremadu had been a public officer and had not earned anything outside his salaries and allowances as a public officer
He, therefore, wondered where the lawmaker got the money to acquire such properties.
The undeclared assets were identified as: 11 Evans Enwerem Street, Apo Legislative Quarters, Apo, Abuja; Plot 2633 Kyami, Abuja; Housing Estate; Plot 1106 CRD, Cadastral Zone 07-07, Lugbe, Abuja; Plot 2782, Asokoro Extension, Abuja; houses at Citi Park Estate, Gwagwalada, Abuja and Plot 1474, Cadastral Zone BD6, Mabushi, Abuja.
Other properties allegedly undeclared by the senator include Congress Court, Abuja; Flat 1, Block D25, Athletics Street, (24th Street), Games Village, Abuja; and Plot 66, 64 Crescent, Gwarimpa Estate, Abuja.
