Elections: EFCC reportedly stopped from probing plane loaded with cash on election eve

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has reportedly been barred from investigating a private jet loaded with money on February 15, 2019, the eve of the aborted presidential and National Assembly elections.

On February 15th, a video of a plane unable to fly because of the huge amount of cash stuffed on it, went viral. According to Punch, multiple sources said the EFCC operatives thereafter stormed the area after a tip-off from some people about the cargo.

They demanded the source of the money, its owner and destination. The crew was said to have informed the operatives that the money was meant for election expenses in Kwara State, but the detectives reportedly insisted on taking away the cash haul.

“The EFCC operatives interrogated the crew and they claimed they were part of the government. They also gave a code which they assumed the operatives would understand, but the detectives insisted on taking away the money. 

However, a phone call came from the Presidential Villa ordering them to hands off the matter and clear off from the scene. Shortly after, armed soldiers took over the scene and the money was transferred into another plane which took off by 10pm that night.”

Speaking on the incident, the spokesperson of the anti-graft agency, Tony Orilade, said he doubts if the incident really happened.

“On the plane-load of cash you asked about, I saw the pictures and we know that these pictures are things that can be manipulated to achieve the purposes by their producers. All the reports from the field are being reviewed and we shall come out with our position once it is ready.

Let’s not be carried away by the activities of mischief-makers; like the acting EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu said, we shall continue to do the right thing to make Nigeria a better country for everyone.”Orilade said

Meanwhile, findings have indicated that the EFCC may not investigate the movement of huge cash into two bullion vans by a leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on the eve of the elections.

Although Tinubu admitted in an interview with journalists in Lagos that he transported the bulk money into his Ikoyi residence, it was gathered that the anti-graft agency had no plan to probe the incident.

Watch the video of the aircraft below