AHMADU Adamu Mu’azu, a former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, has denied any connection with the money in the Ikoyi property where the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, recovered huge sum of money on Wednesday, April 12.

The EFCC officials had recovered $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218,000 at an apartment, located at flat 7B, No. 13 Osborne road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi.

In a statement posted on his Facebook account, Adamu, who was also a former governor of Bauchi State, admitted that he built the property but said that all the flats had been sold to prospective buyers in order to pay back the loan with which he built the house.

His statement said: “My attention has been drawn to the news making the rounds that I own the building on No.16 Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. I want to state clearly that I built the said property and sold to prospective buyers of individual flats.

“I have been a property developer since 1983 and I have developed and sold several properties all over the world, the property in question happens to be one of them. I acquired the land and jointly develop it using a bank loan, I obtained about nine (9) years ago.

“However, all the flats have been sold to prospective buyers in order to pay back the loan. I do not own or occupy any of the apartments. I sold all the apartments through established estate agents as such I have no knowledge or interest in who purchases or rents any of the flats.

“I commend the efforts of the official of the EFCC and the government’s drive at fighting corruption and also the media in informing the public on illicit and corrupt proceeds. My response is not intended to jeopardise or interfere with the ongoing investigation of the anti-graft and security agencies but to clear the misconception that the house in question belongs to me. I strongly believe that the efforts being made will surely unveil the real owner of such flat and the monies recovered.”

The Lagos division of the federal high court on Thursday, April 13, granted an order to tentatively forfeit the recovered sum to the federal government of Nigeria.

As at press time, nobody has shown up to claim the money and the judge gave any claimant until May 5, to do so or the money would be permanently forfeited to the federal government.

—  Apr 24, 2017 @ 01:00 GMT