EFCC grills Fowler, ex-FIRS chairman, over ‘Alpha Beta case’
Babatunde Fowler, former chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), is currently being grilled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged fraud.
TheCable understands that Fowler was invited on Monday morning over an ongoing investigation involving Alpha Beta Consulting, a consulting firm.
Fowler left office as FIRS chairman after his tenure expired in December 2019.
His alleged crime was not immediately clear but an official of the EFCC told TheCable that he was invited regarding “the Alpha Beta case”.
Alpha Beta consults for the Lagos state government on internally-generated revenue (IGR) in return for commission.
It has been embroiled in allegations of fraud and tax evasion. Oladapo Apara, former managing director of the firm, made some of these allegations.
In a recent suit filed at the Lagos high court, Apara alleged that the company has been diverting billions of naira from the coffers of the Lagos state government since 2002.
He also alleged money laundering, tax evasion, forgery and a number of corporate fraudulent practices against the company and its owners.
Joined as a defendant in the suit is Bola Tinubu, former governor of the state, whom Apara claimed is complicit in the fraud.
In 2018, the former employee also alleged that the company had so far generated N1.5 trillion for the Lagos government, out of which the firm earned 10 percent as commission but it failed to pay taxes.
The firm had denied the allegations, accusing Apara of “the worst form of libel”.
Apara is unfaithful employee. Let him come down from hiding to account for his stewardship for the period he served before he took a frence leave never to return.