Immediate past minister of state for foreign affairs, Musiliu Obanikoro, has challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and online media platform, Sahara Reporters to publish the names of the directors and signatories to the alleged Sylvan McNamara Limited account to the public.
The company was said to have received about N4.8 billion from the $2.1 billion arms deal allegedly diverted to other purposes by the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
Obanikoro, however, said the details of the transaction on the account of the company should be limited to when the funds from the Office of the former NSA was transferred to the company.
The former Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana expressed regret that the anti-graft agency was embarking on media trial without proper investigation.
In a statement signed by his media aide, Jonathan Eze, at the weekend, it queried the wisdom and logic of bandying figures and associating same with his sons, adding that the court of law remained the judicial institution for trying cases “and not whipping sentiments in order to give the dog a bad name and hang it.”
The statement added that Sahara Reporters was propagating lies and propaganda because of the legal cases against it by the former minister for misleading the public and defaming his name, having served the nation in various capacities with enviable untainted records of public service.
It urged the EFCC to be straight and above board in their investigations and avoid speculations that were infringing on the fundamental human rights of his sons.
The statement read in parts: “Associating my sons to the Sylvan McNamara account that allegedly received funds from the office of the embattled NSA is highly preposterous and unthinkable.
“I am particularly amazed by the fact that trials and investigations are being done using the media unconventionally just to satisfy the cravings of political entities who are desperate to rub my hard earned reputation in the mud.
“Since the invisible Sahara Reporters whom I have legal cases against are at the forefront of misleading the public and defaming my person, perhaps rationalising that I would withdraw pending suits against it, I am using this medium to challenge it and the EFCC to publish in good conscience the signatories and the names of the directors of the said company and to restate that I shall conclusively pursue this injustice and infringements to a logical end.”
