A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika
(retd.), was on Wednesday interrogated for about seven hours by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for his alleged role in
the $2.1bn arms scam.
According to the EFCC, Ihejirika was invited to explain the
procurement of arms and ammunition during the time he held sway as
COAS between September 2010 and January 2014.
It was learnt that Ihejirika arrived at the EFCC office in Abuja
around 11am and was still in custody around 7pm.
A highly placed official at the EFCC said, “Ihejirika honoured
our invitation on Wednesday. He arrived around 11am and answered
several questions.
“He will be released on administrative bail as soon as
preliminary interrogations are over, as he has also requested to go
back and gather more information, expressing unawareness as regards
various documents and questions put to him by investigators.”
The retired general and his successor, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah
(retd.), as well as retired air force and navy chiefs had been
indicted by the Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement
in 2015.
While the retired air force chiefs – Air Marshal Mohammed Umar
(retd.), Air Chief Marsha Alex Badeh (retd.); and Air Marshal
Adesola Amosu (retd.) – are all facing trial in several courts, no
former army chief has been arraigned by the EFCC.
The EFCC had already seized properties including hotels worth
over N1.2bn from Ihejirika in 2016.
A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika
(retd.), was on Wednesday interrogated for about seven hours by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for his alleged role in
the $2.1bn arms scam.
According to the EFCC, Ihejirika was invited to explain the
procurement of arms and ammunition during the time he held sway as
COAS between September 2010 and January 2014.
It was learnt that Ihejirika arrived at the EFCC office in Abuja
around 11am and was still in custody around 7pm.
A highly placed official at the EFCC said, “Ihejirika honoured
our invitation on Wednesday. He arrived around 11am and answered
several questions.
“He will be released on administrative bail as soon as
preliminary interrogations are over, as he has also requested to go
back and gather more information, expressing unawareness as regards
various documents and questions put to him by investigators.”
The retired general and his successor, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah
(retd.), as well as retired air force and navy chiefs had been
indicted by the Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement
in 2015.
While the retired air force chiefs – Air Marshal Mohammed Umar
(retd.), Air Chief Marsha Alex Badeh (retd.); and Air Marshal
Adesola Amosu (retd.) – are all facing trial in several courts, no
former army chief has been arraigned by the EFCC.
The EFCC had already seized properties including hotels worth
over N1.2bn from Ihejirika in 2016.
Read more https://www.nairalaw.com/2-1bn-arms-scam-efcc-grills-ex-army-chief-ihejirika/