Posted by By FEMI BABAFEMI on
Former military administrator of Lagos State, Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa, was Tuesday released on bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after being detained for 12 days.
Former military administrator of Lagos State, Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa, was Tuesday released on bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after being detained for 12 days.
Marwa had earlier been invited for questioning between Wednesday, December 21 and Thursday, December 22, 2005 at the commission's office in Lagos over a petition allegedly linking him with some funds looted by the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha. He was, however, detained on Friday, December 23, 2005.
Though details of the release were still not clear as at press time, it was learnt that Marwa was let off the hook at about 12 noon to the warm embrace of his wife, Munirat and some of his aides.
As news of the release spread across the country, hundreds of his supporters in Lagos and neighbouring states thronged his Ikoyi residence to have a glimpse of him.
When Daily Sun visited Marwa's Ikoyi home, his supporters and a few of his aides were seen jubilating, but neither the former military administrator nor any member of his family could be reached for comments.
Some of the supporters alleged that there was a deliberate attempt by some powerful forces to humiliate Marwa because of his presidential ambition.
Previous media reports had revealed that Marwa had been directed by the late General Abacha to sign a contract valued at over 140 million dollars for the purchase of military vehicles with an Indian firm on behalf of the Federal Government. Marwa, then a serving Colonel, was the country's Defence Adviser at the United Nations, New York, USA.
Soon after, Abacha was also said to have asked Marwa to open an account through which he wanted to send some funds for security reasons. About 12 million dollars was later sent into the account. The total sum was also said to have been moved to another account owned by Abacha in Transnational Bank, Kenya.
The same money, along with some other funds, were, however, said to have been moved to another account in West Indies.
Investigators have, however, attempted to pin the West Indies account on Marwa, the ownership of which he has denied knowledge.