Secret agents in the presidency are presently conducting a clandestine investigation of the Executive Chairman of Nigeria’s anti-graft police, the EFCC over an allegation that he collected N80 million bribe from multi-billionaire businessman, Wale Babalakin who is being investigated for money laundering by the agency, ireports-ng.com can authoritatively report.
The probe leaked to ireports-ng.com today by a top source in the presidency is coming barely 24 hours after it was revealed in London that three Metropolitan police detectives were arrested in the UK for taking bribes from agents of the jailed former Delta state governor, James Ibori.
In Nigeria, lawyer turned businessman, Wale Babalakin has been arrested and detained twice by the anti-graft agency for interrogation for allegedly using his company’s bank accounts to launder over N1.6 billion for Ibori. He is the chairman of Bi-Courtney Group, which is into infrastructural development and aviation, among others.
According to information made available to ireports-ng.com by sources in EFCC about two weeks ago, Mr Lamorde had complained that the National Security Adviser, NSA, Gen.Andrew Owoeye Azazi was meddling in the investigation of the case against Babalakin. As a result, he ordered that the re-arrest of Babalakin on Wednesday May 9 during which his travel documents were seized and his photograph was taken for forensic purposes.
Based on the information then, ireports-ng.com had reported on May 16 the preparedness of EFCC to charge Babalakin to court for money laundering charges.
It was however gathered today that the report had since triggered a chain reaction, with agents loyal to the NSA within EFCC writing a secret report on Lamorde to the NSA over a scheme to extort money from Babalakin. According to a top presidency source today, a secret investigation of the report was launched.
Findings made available to ireports-ng.com today showed that “one Alhaji Ajiboye who is a very close friend and reliable front for Mr Lamorde had collected N80 million from Mr Babalakin but delivered N60 million to the EFCC chairman.”
The secret report further revealed that “Alhaji Ajiboye has been acting in similar capacity for Mr Lamorde in some cases presently being investigated by the EFCC.
Our findings also disclosed that after Mr Babalakin complained of the treatment meted out to him during his interrogation on May 9, 2012 in the EFCC head office in Abuja, Alhaji Ajiboye promptly set up a secret meeting between Mr Babalakin and Mr Lamorde the following day, May 10,2012 at a secret location agreed to by all parties in the evening of that Thursday May 10, 2012.”
It went further to report that "at the meeting, Mr Babalakin had complained to Mr Lamorde that he was being maltreated and humiliated by EFCC operatives after he had parted with a whooping N80 million with a promise to give him a clearance letter due to concerns expressed by his foreign business partners while the EFCC chairman also complained that Mr Babalakin was talking to and sending so many people to him on the case. He specifically complained that he was not too comfortable with the involvement of the NSA in the matter.
At the end of the meeting, a consensus was reached to keep sealed lips on all that has transpired especially the funds passed through Alhaji Ajiboye."
The report also stated that "it was after Mr Lamorde was reassured that the NSA and indeed, no other person knows about the issue of money exchanging hands that Mr Lamorde and of course the EFCC developed cold feet on the case."
The source however would not disclose what will happen at the end of the investigation of the alleged bribery case against the EFCC boss but assured that “I have instruction to keep you abreast with further developments.
