EFCC Arrests Atiku’s son-in-law Babalele

• Ex-VP vows: I’ll not mortgage peoples’ mandate • Inaugurates legal team

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday arrested Alhaji Babalele Abdullahi, a son in law of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

It was not clear why he was arrested, but the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) believed it was politically motivated.

He vowed that under no circumstance would he mortgage “the mandate of Nigerians as freely expressed on the 23rd of February, 2019.”

Atiku’s media team said in a statement in Abuja that the EFCC operatives invaded Abdullahi’s residence at Maitama, Abuja to effect his arrest.

He doubles as finance director of Atiku’s group of companies.

The Atiku Media team said: “The EFCC agents numbering about two dozen came in two regular vehicles, an 18-seater Toyota bus (registration Abuja CS 522 RSH) and a Hilux van.

“They came with a search warrant to search the house and office of Babalele and found nothing incriminating.

“They then proceeded to his office at Oakland Centre in Maitama and found nothing incriminating there. However, they took away some documents of landed property.

“Not done, the EFCC officials stormed his Wuse residence where they again found nothing incriminating after the search.

“Afterwards, Babalele was taken away to the EFCC office in Wuse to make a statement alongside Mr. Lawan Ayuba.

“It was gathered that the petition relied upon to invade the residence and office of Babalele was authored by a brother of the wife of President Buhari.

“As a law abiding citizen, Atiku Abubakar recognizes the constitutional role of the EFCC and indeed any other agency of the government to carry out investigations, but will not be cowed by any attempt to blackmail him into mortgaging his mandate.”

In a separate statement, the Atiku Media office said he inaugurated a legal team to challenge the result of the 23 February presidential election.

The legal team is headed by Dr Livy Uzoukwu (SAN).

He was quoted as saying: “I am encouraged by the presence of fearless men and women of the Bench.

“The judiciary which had in the past discharged itself ably is once again being called upon to deliver judgement on this matter that will be untainted by lucre and uncowed by the threat of immoral power.”