NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT TO PROBE ATIKU ABUBAKAR ON RETURN FROM AMERICA TRIP,SAYS LAI MOHAMMED

The Minister said the decision to question Abubakar is “following fresh evidence that he benefitted from slush funds that led to the collapse of Bank PHB’, adding that the government has in its position “paper trail which shows that he benefitted from N156 million.”

Penpushing also reports that, the Federal Government said, “It started from an internal memo dated 13 January 2009 asking that a draft in favour of Atiku Abubakar of N156million should be raised.  We want him to stay in the US for as long as he wants but he has to explain to Nigerians when he returns’

The Minister explained that, another memo on the same date was raised to confirm that the amount was raised from a “claimant management account’, emphasizing that  the Government has proof of the account mandate, cheque and account statement showing  Abubakar as the signatory to the account that received the money.

Penpushing further reports that, Mohammed while speaking on the visit of the former Vice President to the United States of America (USA) said the government had earlier issued a statement advising the country. not to issue him a visa.

The Minister, however, said it remains the prerogative of the America Government to issue visa to anyone, stating, “we are not perturbed one bit. He can go ahead and get a U.S. green card. That will not save him from imminent defeat in the forthcoming election. The election will be held here not in the U.S.”