Fred Itua, Abuja and Lukman Olabiyi

Embattled speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, was yesterday, quizzed by operatives of the office of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC has also got Court order to freeze his three bank accounts.

His invitation and interrogation by the leading anti-graft agency, Daily Sun gathered, were about allegations of financial misappropriation.  Obasa, with some top members and accounting officials in the Lagos Assembly were invited last week to appear yesterday for questioning.

Confirming the arrest, EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, told Daily Sun that the speaker was in the Commission’s headquarters to respond to some issues. “He was interrogated today (yesterday). He was invited by the EFCC and he responded. I can’t tell you if he’s still with us or not,” Uwujaren said.

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He, didn’t however confirm if the speaker was being detained, pending when the ongoing interrogation will be concluded by operatives of the Commission. Obasa is being accused of allegedly looting public funds since he became speaker of the All Progressives Congress (APC) dominated Assembly. He reportedly operated over 64 bank accounts, using different names to siphon public funds.

Obasa also allegedly awarded contracts to himself, using different companies owned by him. He allegedly got the Assembly where he presides as speaker to approve N258 million for the printing of invitation cards for the inauguration of lawmakers two months after the event held.

Meanwhile , the Federal High Court, Lagos has granted an application by the EFCC  which sought temporary forfeiture of three bank accounts belonging to Obasa.

According to the court’s order granted on September 15, the bank accounts were to be frozen pending conclusion of investigation by the EFCC.

The three bank accounts frozen are domiciled in Standard Chartered Bank under the name Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa , with following number: 001852963, 001852956 and 5002349821. In obtaining the ex-parte order, the EFCC said the bank accounts are being investigated for conspiracy, diversion of funds, abuse of office and money laundering.