The Ado Ekiti branch of Access Bank has turned into a detention camp. This is on account of how officials of the bank detained the wife and eight-month-old son of the former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode inside the bank on Monday, October 17.
Fani- Kayode’s wife, Precious had arrived in Ekiti and attempted to withdraw funds from an account linked to slush provided by detained former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
The bank officials had claimed that the account which Precious tried to draw money from was flagged by the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission. (EFCC)
The bank officials contacted the anti-graft commission and Precious was detained within the premises of the bank.
Precious was with her eight-month-old baby at the time of her arrest.
It was also through the intervention of the state governor that Precious and her son were released from the bank.
Speaking with newsmen after the incident, Mrs. Fani-Kayode alleged she was ill-treated by the officials and her baby, who sobbed during the ordeal, was denied food.
“I’m not a politician and that account had been dormant for about five years. I only activated it last month in Port Harcourt. I decided to go to Access Bank to make some withdrawals when I was detained on the instruction of the EFCC. They told me the account had been frozen and they were asked by the EFCC to arrest me on the spot.
“I have been operating the account since 2005 when I was a student in the university. They had earlier frozen my two bank’s accounts and I have been waiting for them to invite me, yet, they have not.
“The balance in the account is just N200,000, so, I don’t know what their interest is. I’m a private person, I have not received any political fund, so, why are they trying to starve my family? That account has nothing to do with politics. I had to call the governor to inform him of the development.”
Fayose warned the anti-graft agency against lawlessness and reckless behaviour against Nigerians.
“They can’t try that nonsense in my state. If they try it, it will be a showdown. They are over-stepping their boundary.
“This is a country that operates a constitution. What kind of molestation is this? Taking away the rights of Nigerians because you are investigating.
“Must they terrorise people because they are in opposition? I have demanded an apology from the bank, if they failed to do that I’m done with them. This is lawlessness.”
In a telephone interview with Daily Sun, Femi Fani-Kayode – a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) pleaded with the Federal Government to leave his family members alone.
“This government is sick and cowardly and so is the EFCC. If you have a problem with me, face me and leave my family alone.
“She has never had any business with me, she has never been formally invited by the EFCC or asked any questions about her transactions and neither have they written to her on any issue even though they are always sending letters to my house and sending people there.
“If Buhari wants to deal with me, why doesn’t he face me like a man instead of trying to harm and hurt my wife and eight-month-old son. “This is Buhari’s Nigeria and we will resist his wickedness and tyranny.”
Fani-Kayode said he intended to sue the bank and the EFCC for this “illegal and wicked action.”
EFCC Spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren was contacted, he said that Precious was detained because the account allegedly received N1 million from former Director of Finance for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign, Senator Nenadi Usman.
He further explained that banks have standing instructions to contact the EFCC whenever any attempt is made to withdraw funds from any account under investigation.
Besides, the said account allegedly has two different Bank Verification Number (BVN). “It was discovered that two people were found to have BVN on the same account. It was placed under investigation.
“She went to withdraw money from account under investigation and the bank alerted the EFCC,” he added.
