Ibrahim Shema, former governor of Katsina State who was recently declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC) has stated that he is not on the run from probing.
Shema has declared that he had been ready to be investigated by the commission on June 28.
However, the anti-graft agency had cancelled the interview at the last minute.
The EFCC had declared him wanted on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 for avoiding the invitation to be probed over an alleged N74.6 billion scam.
After the cancellation of the interview, Shema said he had been waiting for another invitation from the agency.
In a letter to the EFCC, the former governor had expressed his shock being declared wanted.
“I feel sorry for the pitiable situation we have found ourselves as Nigerians where and when a sacred institution like the EFCC is pressurized and used to sponsor fake, false, malicious, misleading and unfounded allegations against someone like me, who the EFCC has not at any time accused of fraud, embezzlement, inflation of contract, or any misdemeanour at all.
“Despite the incongruity in the way and manner the invitation was extended to me through a counsel – and also through a wrong address of the same counsel, and notwithstanding the fact that I was already billed to travel to Saudi Arabia for the lesser hajj (Umrah) on the appointment day, I cancelled all the engagements to honour the invitation with my counsel on the said June 28, 2016, only to be informed, around 10am on that day that the interview would no longer hold, as Mr. Hyecinth A. Edozie was out of Abuja, and that a new date, after Sallah, would be communicated.”
Revealing that his solicitor had written a letter to the commission on June 28, 2016 which addressed to Edozie for a new date for interrogation, he said the letter was delivered, received, stamped and duly noted at the EFCC office on June 28, the same day.
“I feel sorry for the pitiable situation we have found ourselves as Nigerians where and when a sacred institution like the EFCC is pressurized and used to sponsor fake, false, malicious, misleading and unfounded allegations against someone like me, who the EFCC has not at any time accused of fraud, embezzlement, inflation of contract, or any misdemeanour at all.
“The EFCC deliberately embarked on false propaganda against me and my person by positing that I have ignored several invitations which it extended to me,” he said.
In other news, Ibrahim Shema’s lawyers are bargaining with EFCC personnel to calm the situation and asking the agency to send another invitation.
Oluwabusola Olawale, Shema spokesperson, according to Premium Times, confirmed the report, saying they were hoping there would be a breakthrough in the bargain.
