EFCC STORMS HOUSE FOR CASH.

Decetives is now searching most of the house located in Osborne Towers, the Ikoyi, Lagos building, a location where  $43.4million was discovered last Wednesday.

Amidst the VIP owners of the luxurious houses is one time Anambra State Number one Citizen Peter Obi, who established the search yesterday.

Ex- Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Adamu Mua’zu and a former Petroleum Product Marketing Company (PPMC) Managing Director, Mrs Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue also have names to apartments in the Towers.

With a let rate of N20million for every year, Osborne Towers “is one if the best residential property in Africa”.

Obi’s house happens to be flat 1. His media spokesman Val Obienyem established that it was scrubbed by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) employees.

Obienyem, who emphasised that the ex- governor resides in Onitsha, elaborated that the house was on loan by Obi’s wife. He commonly stays at the house at whatever time he is in Lagos.

Obienyem, who warned against “mischief makers seeking fault in Obi”, emphasised all the tenants in the building were also scrubbed.

“Even though Mr. and Mrs Obi had travelled to the USA and the U.K. for speaking engagements, when we relayed the message of the search to him, he quickly sent the keys to the 4-bedroom apartment to the EFCC via courier. He even left instructions that we should allow them to also search his Onitsha residence should there be need for that. After the thorough searching, nothing was found in the apartment”, Obienyem said.

Obienyem additionally said that at the time of the search, one of the officials of the EFCC was said to have been heard doubting if the house had anything to do with Obi because it was the minute value in terms of furnishing.

In line with the query of the controversial cash haul, EFCC Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu has moved to Lagos.

The anti-graft Establishment yesterday reported again that the money would be given to the Federal Government.

It held whichever person that has an alternative reasons for the money not to be forfeited should show up in court on May 5.

It was known that Magu’s coming to Lagos was to clean up the query of how the $43.4million got to Apartment 7B.

A source, who spoke in full assurance, said:

“We are still digging; we are working round the clock on the cash recovered from Osborne Towers. There are some clues that there could be more hidden cash; this is why we are combing some places based on intelligence.

“We are still interacting with occupants of the Towers. Some of them have made useful statements.

“This investigation is highly sensitive; this is why the EFCC has not addressed the press on this matter. This explains why the Acting EFCC chairman has shifted base from Abuja to Lagos to drive the process. I think in the next 48 hours, we should be through with this stage of investigation.”

The agency said whichever person has any reason for which the cash should not be given up to the federal government should show up at the Federal High Court in located in Lagos on May 5.

“The court has ruled that whoever has reasons why the money should not be forfeited to the Federal Government should stand before it on May 5,” the EFCC said.