EFCC Lies, Nwaoboshi Didn't Evade Detention, His Whereabout is Known to the Agency', Says Media Aide

The Senator Peter Nwaoboshi Media team, SPON has refuted the reports allegedly circulated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, signed by the Commission’s Spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, and published by a section of the Nigerian Media that, the Senator representing Delta North Senatorial district, was bursted and hounded into correctional centre saying, its a mere propaganda unbecoming of a supposed respectable organisation.

This was revealed in a statement by the Head of SPON Media Team, Philip Elueme, and released in Abuja, Friday to our correspondent noting that, nothing could be farther from the truth arguing that the high ranking Senator who is a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC surrendered himself even right from the time of conviction by the Appeal Court, even as he was not in court when convicted, “which in itself is legally perverse.”

For whatever reason, the image maker of the Senator noted that the anti graft agency chose to play to the gallery by misrepresenting facts to drive home its vendetta against a “law abiding gentleman and lawmaker for that matter” with intent to disparage him by dispensing falsehood to create wrong impression in unsuspecting members of the public.

Recall that, the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos had convicted the Senator on a 2-count charge on July 1, 2022 at the heels of the judgement delivered by the Justice Chukwujeku Aneke, of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos which discharge and acquitted him on same counts brought by the anti graft agency with 322 million naira at the centre of the money laundering allegation, contrary to 850 million naira being bandied by the agency.

“The distinguished Senator and two others filed appeal at the supreme court, Abuja, against the judgement of the court of Appeal, which is still pending.”

However, as against the claim by the EFCC that it arrested the Senator from his hidden place, the Media team holds that the Senator shortly after his conviction surrendered himself to the Ikoyi Correctional Centre but was refused entry by the authority on the ground that the Service was not in possession of his detention warrant from the court.

Thereafter, Elueme stressed further that, the embattled Senator who is the Chairman of the Senate committee on Niger Delta Affairs, went again but for the second time refused entry into the custodial centre due to same reason maintaining that the statement issued and signed by Uwujaren was in bad light and ill conceived saying at no point did Nwaoboshi evade detention. “Could he have gone into the correctional facility without a duly procured detention warrant or defiantly imprison himself?”

According to the statement, Senator Nwaoboshi was admitted to the hospital where he had been receiving treatment and at no time was his whereabout unknown to the EFCC who had visited him there previously, saying, neither has he any intention to evade imprisonment.

The Media team averred that:

“The attention of the Senator Peter Nwaoboshi Media Team has been drawn to a news report initiated by the the Spokesperson of the EFCC as reported by a section of the media to wit: “850m Scam: Nwaoboshi Lands In Prison.

“We wish to state as follows:
Senator Nwaoboshi, contrary to false impression from his persecutors was never evasive and on many instances presented himself to the correctional center but was declined access because EFCC knowingly or ignorantly failed to obtain the needed remand warrant from the Court.

“It was at the prompting of the distinguished Senator through his lawyers that the Remand warrant was procured on the 7th February in Lagos. Attempts made by the senator, even through his lawyers to procure this same warrant, was not possible since they were told it was not in their place to process the document.

“We challenge the EFCC to exhibit the date on the Remand Order and tell the world why it took them 7 months after the judgement of the court of appeal to obtain a remand warrant.The truth is incontrovertible and we invite the EFCC and it’s co-travelers to controvert this position.” The February 8 dated-letter states in part.

Pointedly, the Media Team called on the teaming followers of the Senator and the Nigerian public not to pander to the propaganda machinery and the media trial of the EFCC noting that, on no account did Nwaoboshi attempt to evade imprisonment.