TheCable

The Economic and Financial crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested Abdul-Aziz Nyako, son of Murtala Nyako, who was impeached as governor of Adamawa state in July 2014.

EFCC said the younger Nyako was arrested in Gombe, capital of Gombe state, and was immediately flown to Abuja “where he is currently being grilled by a crack team of detectives who had been working on the Adamawa investigation for several months”.

“Abdul-Aziz, who was declared wanted by the EFCC in the case of stealing, abuse of office and money laundering, is currently telling investigators all he knows about illicit funds traced to companies where he has interest,” Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC’s head of media and publicity, said.

“Specifically, he will have to explain how over N15 billion funds belonging to Adamawa State was laundered into the accounts of five companies owned by him- Blue Opal Nigeria limited, Crust Energy Nigeria Limited, Blue Ribbon Multilinks Limited, Tower Assets Management Limited and Blue Ribbon Bureau De Change.”

He said the funds were funned into the accounts of the companies from Adamawa state accounts domiciled in a new generation bank by the account officer who incidentally is the manager and an in-law to ex-governor Nyako.

“The manager claimed he transferred the funds through verbal instruction from the former governor for purposes, which are not stated,” he added.

“Investigations revealed that from 2007 to 2011 within Nyako’s tenure in office, before he was impeached in 2014, he had directed that all of the state-owned accounts domiciled in various banks be transferred to the new generation bank.”

Abdul-Aziz’s company, Blue Opal, is said to own, among other investments in Nigeria, an estate in Abuja, while his father’s account officer owns several properties and investments scattered around Abuja, Yola and Kano.

Former governor Nyako is still on the run.