No going back on arrest of Ekpeyong, Oke, says Magu

From: Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja.

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has said that he is not discouraged about Tuesday’s failed attempt to arrest former director-general of the Department of State Security (DSS), Ita Ekpeyong, and former head of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke.

According to Magu, there is no going back.

He said no one is above the law and that the Agency has concrete evidence against the former heads of the DSS and the NIA.

The EFCC boss who spoke after he attended the inauguration of the committee on recoveries by President Muhammadu Buhari at State House, Abuja, assured that the law will take its course.

There was confusion in Asokoro district of Abuja, on Tuesday, when armed guards of the NIA and DSS prevented officials of the EFCC from arresting their former bosses residing in the area.

It was reported that attempts by EFCC officials and policemen to arrest Ekpeyong and Oke, were resisted by armed officials at their homes on Mamman Nasir Street in the Asokoro district of Abuja.

This resistance led to a stand-off between armed security officers from all the four agencies, causing traffic mayhem in the area.

Armed plain-clothed security personnel were also reported to have mounted strategic positions on the street.

Reporters were prevented from getting to the end of the street around 3pm Tuesday l, while efforts to access the street from two adjoining streets were rebuffed by armed mobile policemen.

Residents of the area, were said to have been frustrated at the closure of the street as they could not access their homes.

Ekpeyong Ita is being investigated for offences bordering on alleged theft and diversion of public funds in the arms deal saga involving a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), and other service chiefs who have since been arraigned.

Oke, who was recently sacked by President Buhari for allegedly stashing away N13 billion in the Ikoyi apartment, is reported to have refused not to honour invitations for over three weeks.