From Victor Akinkuolie, Ado Ekiti
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The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) yesterday closed down some houses allegedly owned by former governor Ayodele Fayose in Ekiti State and some of his aides in the capital city.
The houses include one located at Fajuyi Park beside the old Mr Biggs in Ado Ekiti which was specifically designed as a Civic Centre.
Others are: two storey building at Okesa and the house where the radio station, Peoples Voice 104.1 FM, allegedly owned by the former governor and two houses located at GRA, all in Ado-Ekiti.
The closure came barely one month that the State’s Ministry of Urban and Physical Planning sealed off a house allegedly linked to the former governor located at GRA in the state capital.
The EFCC operatives were said to have stormed the building at about 2.35pm to paste the restriction order.
The emblem placed on the palatial mansion painted in white colour reads: ” Order from EFCC: This structure is under investigation, keep off”.
The EFCC and Fayose have been in a running battle over the claim that the ex-governor got a sum of N2.99 billion from the arms fund allotted to the office of the former National Security Adviser, Col Bello Dasuki (rtd).
Fayose was accused of using the huge amount to finance his reelection for the governorship seat in 2014.
This led to the freezing of his accounts in Zenith bank, which was later unfrozen via a court judgement.
But Fayose has accused the EFCC of going about sealing houses belonging to innocent people in the State, under the guise that the houses were linked to him.
He said in a statement which was signed by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, that he was informing the public ahead of the EFCC’s usual blackmail and media trial.
The statement reads: “Just been informed that operatives of the EFCC in collaboration with the APC government in Ekiti are going about sealing houses of innocent people in the state, under the guise that the houses are linked to me.
“This is another wild goose chase and the usual media campaign against my person.
“It is only in our country that an anti corruption agency will first go about sealing houses before determining the ownership, which can be done so easily by visiting relevant agencies.
“I am therefore informing the public ahead of their usual blackmail and media trial.
“None of the properties in question is owned by me and the records are there for anyone that is interested to see.
“The EFCC is advised to stop going about looking for ways to malign my person just because of their hatred as a result of my uncompromising stands on national issues.
“Even if the commission is being pressured from ‘above’ to persecute Fayose at all cost, it should at least, do its job diligently to save itself from persistent embarrassment.”
