Shehu Sani

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has said it is still detaining former Senator Shehu Sani because it is yet to conclude allegation of extortion of $25, 000 levelled against him by a Kaduna based auto dealer.

The anti graft agency said this in reaction to what it described as, “insinuations and phantom claims that the Commission is “prosecuting” Senator Shehu Sani, because he is a known critic of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration,” over the continued detention of the activist in a statement by Tony Orilade, its Acting Spokesperson.

Beyond speculations in the media, the statement is the first official communication by the EFCC on why it arrested and has  kept Sani in custody since the new year eve.

“The Commission wishes to state that Senator Shehu Sani is currently facing criminal investigation, and he is being detained by the EFCC in very conducive environment, based on a valid court order.

“Invariably, claims in some quarters of the breach of his fundamental human rights, is merely in the imagination of the purveyors of such claims.

“Let it be stated clearly, that Senator Shehu Sani has questions to answer as regards the alleged involvement in name-dropping, and particularly that he obtained $25,000 from Alhaji Sani Dauda, the ASD Motors boss, in order to help shield him from investigations being carried out by the EFCC.

“For certain people to brazenly come out to defend a suspect, who is being probed for a serious offence as the one committed by Sani shows that they are not really conversant with his offence.

“It is unfortunate that certain people are ready to do anything to support evil for pecuniary gains. This is quite unfortunate!,” EFCC said in the statement.