I Refunded Between N100m, N200m To Federal Government Under Duress-Musiliu Obanikoro Told Court

A former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has informed the Federal High Court in Lagos, that the N100m and N200m, he forfieted to the Federal Government was done under duress.

Obanikoro revealed that on Tuesday, when he was testifying before the court as the 12th prosecution witness, (PW12), during the trial of a former governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Fayose and his company,Spotless Investment Limited, for alleged N2.2bn fraud.

The EFCC alleged that Fayose collected N1.2bn, from a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki,  to prosecute his governorship election.

EFCC also accused Fayose and his Firm to have on June 17, 2014, without going through financial institutions, collected $5m from Obanikoro, an allegation Fayose denied.

Recall that Obanikoro had in his earlier witness told the court that he ferried the cash in an aircraft and delivered to Fayose in Ekiti State.

Obanikoro told Justice Chukwujeku Aneke that N1.2bn was deposited into the account of a company, Sylva McNamara, which was used to fund clandestine security operations, aimed at preventing terrorists’ activities in Lagos State in two batches.

Meanwhile, during the resumed hearing on Tuesday, Obanikoro, while being cross-examined by the counsel for the second defendant, Mr Olalekan Ojo, (SAN), told the court that during the investigation of the case, he was invited by the EFCC, grilled and forced to refund N100m or N200m under duress.

He stated that after series of interrogations and investigations, Obanikoro, he was exonarted by the EFCC, of any wrong doing.

”I was made to refund between N100m and N200m to the Federal Government under duress. I have  instructed my lawyers, to write the EFCC for the return of the money I refunded under duress,” he said.