Some associates of former president Muhammadu Buhari are accusing President Bola Tinubu of witch-hunt after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested and detained Abubakar Isa Funtua, an in-law to the former President 10 days.
Abubakar, son of the late Ismaila Isa Funtua is married to the fifth daughter of Buhari, Hajia Safina.
Confirming Abubakar’s arrest last month, the EFCC said he, alongside an Ugandan business associate, Asega Aliga allegedly looted N28bn from Keystone Bank and fled Nigeria.
He was said to have fled to Spain but sneaked into Nigeria last month to celebrate Sallah in his Abuja home where he was arrested by officials of the anti-graft agency.
Speaking with TheScrutinyNG, a former media aide to Buhari said Abubakar’s arrest and detention was targeted towards the former president.
” For me, the handwriting on the wall is very clear. A man married to your daughter is like your son. So, arresting him (Abubakar) is like arresting Buhari’s son. I also heard many prominent Nigerians intervened and mounted pressures on the EFCC Chairman to release him but he stood his ground”.
“I was reliably informed that they also reached out to President Bola Tinubu but he declined, saying the EFCC should be allowed to carry out its functions. Buhari knew everything that happened in Lagos but he never witch-hunted anybody throughout his eight years”.
” First, it was the CBN governor (Emefiele), then EFCC Chairman (Bawa), then Ministers and now, the former president’s son-in-law. If you know you want to arrest him (Buhari), why not just come out clean instead of all these dancing around the basket they are doing?” he asked.
Another associate of the former president also believed it was a witch-hunt.
” We know who appointed the current EFCC Chairman and we know he is doing the bidding of that person. We are also hearing they are planning to investigate the president and put the former first lady, Aisha Buhari on a no-fly list. We are watching” he said.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale confirmed Funtua’s arrest but said his detention was not up to 10 days.
He also declined to comment on the specific crime committed by Funtua prompting his arrest.
An associate of Abubakar said contrary to the claim by the EFCC that he was arrested, he submitted himself to officials of the anti-graft agency.
” Yes, he was arrested one week after Sallah and detained unjustly for 7 days. He never fled as being claimed. If he fled, were they the ones that brought him back to Nigeria”?
