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| Adetunla |
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| EFCC boss, Ibrahim Larmode |
Emerging facts relating to the seizure of the
$1.8 m on which a security personnel of Federal airports Authority of Nigeria
(FAAN), Akin Adetunla was arrested indicate that the owner of the
money has began a serious underground move to get officials of Economic
and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) return the money to him without facing
the law.
Investigations by Nigerian Compass revealed that the man,( name withheld ), belongs to a group of businessmen operating illegal cargo sheds in one of the car parks in the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
A reliable source in the security circle within the airport disclosed to our correspondent that immediately Adetula was arrested, the errand boy sent by the principal to monitor the smuggling escaped and later reported the arrest to his boss
While the errand boy is still at large, Nigerian Compass learnt that the boss swung into action and instituted a lobby group within and outside the airport to help appeal to the EFCC officials to release the money and disallowing it from getting into the press.
The source which claimed the arrest was a big surprise to many in the airport, said such a deal is a daily occurrence in the airport, because it involves some unscrupulous officials of Nigerian Customs Services, Immigrations services, EFCC and AVSEC staff.
“That AVSEC man was just unlucky and fell out of favour with his fellows in the crime. This deal has been going on here for years and nobody even the FAAN security raised eye brow. Those involved have been doing the deal sending money out illegally and importing goods that are never checked.
If they know that they are not doing illegal business, why can’t they send their goods through the cargo terminal? It is appalling seeing customs officials escorting imported goods from the terminal to the illegal sheds and nobody raises an eye brow,” the source lamented.
Investigations by Nigerian Compass revealed that the man,( name withheld ), belongs to a group of businessmen operating illegal cargo sheds in one of the car parks in the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
A reliable source in the security circle within the airport disclosed to our correspondent that immediately Adetula was arrested, the errand boy sent by the principal to monitor the smuggling escaped and later reported the arrest to his boss
While the errand boy is still at large, Nigerian Compass learnt that the boss swung into action and instituted a lobby group within and outside the airport to help appeal to the EFCC officials to release the money and disallowing it from getting into the press.
The source which claimed the arrest was a big surprise to many in the airport, said such a deal is a daily occurrence in the airport, because it involves some unscrupulous officials of Nigerian Customs Services, Immigrations services, EFCC and AVSEC staff.
“That AVSEC man was just unlucky and fell out of favour with his fellows in the crime. This deal has been going on here for years and nobody even the FAAN security raised eye brow. Those involved have been doing the deal sending money out illegally and importing goods that are never checked.
If they know that they are not doing illegal business, why can’t they send their goods through the cargo terminal? It is appalling seeing customs officials escorting imported goods from the terminal to the illegal sheds and nobody raises an eye brow,” the source lamented.
Nigerian Compass also learnt that the leader of
the syndicate after making several visits to the EFCC office in the airport, is
yet to be interrogated or arrested concerning his involvement on the
issue.
Another source which claimed the leader of the
team is a sacred cow in cargo business in the airport, said it would not
be a surprise if the money is finally returned to him without anybody facing
any trial because of the deal.
“With the way that man is lobbying, he would get
the money back from the EFCC without anybody getting punished for the offence.
This is not the first time he would be having such problem in the airport. I am
very sure those security officials who arrested the agent were either new in
the system or they decided to burst the bubble because they felt cheated or
slighted,” the source said.
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