Shehu Sani

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Comrade Shehu Sani, has expressed his determination to defend himself over allegation that he received the sum of $20,000 from an auto dealer,  Sani Dauda, as a bribe for Ibrahim Magu, the acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Sani was arrested and has been in detention of the anti-graft agency since Tuesday over the allegation.

EFCC claimed it acted on petition from the auto dealer.

The auto dealer claimed that the Senator had collected the funds to help him stop the investigation of allegations against him by the EFCC.

The EFCC said based on the accusation, it is investigating if the former lawmaker has been using the name of its chairman for extortion.

But the Senator had denied the accusation and has expressed his determination to prove his innocence, The Nation newspaper is reporting.

According to the newspaper, Dauda, who is the Chairman/ CEO of ASD Motors is expected to appear before EFCC investigator today (Thursday) for interrogation and an encounter with the former senator.

It was learnt that the embattled ex-senator maintained his innocence in a written statement he made at the EFCC headquarters.

Sani was reported to have told EFCC operatives that he could not have collected $20,000 to intercede on a case on Dauda’s behalf with the Acting EFCC chairman since he does not work with anti-graft agency.

According to the report, Sani said he was prepared to protect his integrity before detectives and in court.

An associate of the Senator had also described the accusation as spurious.

He said the problems between the Senator and the car dealer was a business deal gone awry.