The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says there is no link between the detention of David Babachir Lawal,the immediate past secretary to the government of the federation, and the letter written by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.
In the letter, Obasanjo accused President Muhammadu Buhari of shielding some of his allies who are corrupt which preceeded the arrest of Lawal Less than 24 hours after by the commission.
Sami Ammadin, acting spokesman of the commission, said both incidents were coincidental.
“When we are doing investigation, we don’t have a fixed time. Those speculating should have realised that several contractors are involved in this matter, and they were all invited, even banks,” he said.
“We have been working on this case since May 2017, so it is not a thing that just cropped up.
“We are neither a political party nor politicians. We don’t have any relationship with what they are talking about. We are just doing our work.
“If the detention coincides with the letter, that is a different thing. Why are those talking not linking other people we have been inviting with Obasanjo’s letter?’’
Buhari had sacked Lawal on October 30, 2017, following his indictment by a panel that probed misuse of funds meant for internally displaced persons in the north-east.
He was accused of using his company Rholavision Engineering Ltd to corner a N200 million contract for the clearing of evasive plant species in Yobe.
Amaddin said Lawal was still in detention as of Friday morning, and that the suspect was assisting the commission in its investigation.
Asked whether the commission had a court warrant to detain him beyond the 48 hours prescribed by law, the spokesman said the commission’s legal team was “taking care of that’’.
“We are aware of the law, and the legal team must have taken care of that,’’ he said.
