Contrary to media reports, Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, has clarified that there was no diamond bra among items seized from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, set to be auctioned by the Federal Government.
Bawa made the clarification while participating on programme on a Lagos-based television station on Wednesday monitored in Abuja, declaring that if there was anything of such, he ought to know being the lead investigator who investigated the former minister.
While informing that the government was yet to auction the properties including jewelries seized from the former minister, Bawa said the diamond bra was a social media creation.
Government has not sold a single property recovered. We are working towards that. You have accused us several times of media trial but I think it is good to be fair to everybody all times.
“This case is a two-way thing, there was nothing like diamond bra; it is just a creation of social media. I can tell you that for free because I am the lead investigator. I am not aware of it.
“If there is something like that I should know because I led the search and all of that. It is one of the things I mentioned to you that is one of the biggest problems we have is our attitude, we need to change for better,” Bawa said.
The anti-corruption czar said that the issue of investment and employment scam was a huge problem the commission was currently working on, adding that EFCC had received complaints from Nigerians who had lost over N200 billion to the scam.
“This issue of investment scam is something that have have observed and we are working on that. In fact, as of the last briefing when we aggregated all the complaints involving investment scam, as well as employment scam, Nigerians have complained to us to have lost over N200 billion in complaints. It’s a huge problem.
“Ponzi schemes are going on left right centre and Nigerians have to be weary about anybody that is promising you some money doubling interest. How can you invest N500,000 and somebody is promising you N50,000 every month and at the end of that you collect your N500,000 back.
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What is he doing? What is he into? Is he investing in stock exchange? Why is it that he is the only person among 250 million Nigerians that has that idea to come with this investment idea to bring that kind of return? What they are simply doing is what it is.”
Tribune
