Former minister of works in custody over N50b fraud
Operatives of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arrested the former
minister of works and housing, Hassan Lawal, in his home in Asokoro,
Abuja, in connection with fraudulent activities currently pegged at
over N50 billion.
An operative of the anti-graft agency
told NEXT that the commission is currently carrying out the second
phase of investigation into the fraudulent activities of the former
minister who served in two different offices between 2004 and 2010.
“There are currently two different
phases of investigations against this man. One has been on-going for
some time now, the second one has just begun. Most of the
investigations border on fraudulent award of contracts to unregistered
companies. Most of the contracts had to do with road contracts and the
sale of federal government houses,” a source in the EFCC, who pleaded
anonymity said in Abuja.
The spokesman of the anti-graft agency , Femi Babafemi, says that
Mr.Lawal is currently in the custody of the commission, however he
declined to speak on what possible date the accused will be arraigned.
Our source however revealed that the commission is currently working to
uncover and arrest other persons who might have collaborated with the
former minister. The charges against the former minister are high
degree of massive fraud, abuse of office, abuse of government laid down
policy on due process and award of contracts to unregistered
companies’.Mr. Lawal served as the Minister of Labour and Productivity
from 2004 to 2007. He then served as the Minister for Works and Housing
from 2008 to 2010.
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