Ambode reacts to EFCC search of his residence

The immediate past governor of Lagos State Akinwunmi Ambode Tuesday said he was not worried about the search on his residence by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the morning.

“The former governor wishes to assure his supporters and the generality of Lagosians to continue to remain calm and law-abiding as there is no cause for alarm,” Ambode’s media aide Habib Aruna said in a statement.

EFCC operatives searched Ambode’s residences in Epe and Ikoyi at about 10:00 am simultaneously Tuesday morning.

EFCC spokesman Tony Orilade told The Guardian that the raid was in connection with an ongoing investigation into finances of Lagos State under the former governor.

“It is just the continuation of the ongoing investigation,” Orilade said.

But the former governor’s spokesman said he has no idea on the reasons for the investigation.

He said the former governor is ready and willing to respond to the EFCC on the investigation.

Aruna said Ambode remains committed to the rule of law and due process.

A federal high court in Lagos Monday, August 5, ordered the freezing of three bank accounts linked to Ambode over an alleged fraud of N9.9 billion fraud.

The court judge, Chuka Obiozor, ordered the suspension of the bank accounts following an ex parte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The accounts are domiciled in First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Access Bank, and Zenith Bank with numbers 5617984012, 0060949275 and 1011691254 respectively. The accounts were alleged to be operated by Ambode who left office in May.

The EFCC said the N9.9 billion was paid into the FCMB account from Lagos State Government’s account. The FCMB was operated by Adewale Adesanya, the permanent secretary in the Office of the Chief of Staff to the former governor.

Ambode’s spokesman, however, said the former governor is not involved in the N9.9bn fraud discovered by the EFCC.

He said the investigated accounts were opened for administrative purpose of Lagos State Government and not for his personal transactions.