By Mumini AbdulKareem
The former Executive Director of Harmony Holding, Alhaji Adebayo Sani last night broke his silence on his recent arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Sanni was arrested by the anti-grant agency in Ilorin over allegation of fraudulent disposition of landed property belonging to the state.
He was arrested alongside a retired Navy Commodore, J.A Taiwo and other notable indigenes of the state over the matter all who have since been quizzed and granted administrative bail by the commission.
But speaking on the matter in an exclusive interview last night with this reporter, the former Harmony boss described the issue as unfortunate adding that he believed in the rule of law and that he hope to come out victorious.
He said: “It’s unfortunate that in this part of the world anything goes. Ordinarily in other countries, when there is simply an allegation that has not been proved or gotten to the court of law, I don’t think such thing suppose to happen as it.
“But that being said and done, I am still maintaining my cool until the lawyers look at the implication of what is going on. I observed the rule of law and I am not debating anything with anybody. I also do know that there are tens of people that have been invited to the EFCC office for questioning in the last couple of months. But this is the first time we are seeing a thing like this (his picture at EFCC custody going viral) and that means a lot. There must be a reason for that which we’ll perhaps know later”.
He said the EFCC being a professional body would not leak the pictures as law enforcement officers. “I am sure EFCC didn’t post that picture; we are still investigating because they know the law, and I am sure they wouldn’t do it.
According to Sanni, he never singled handedly signed any cheque at harmony holdings except with board approval which followed due process.
“As far as I am concerned, I’ve been invited and allegations where put across. I put up as a layman as much defence as I could. But one thing I can say specifically is that I was in Harmony Holdings for six and half years as Executive Director, I never for once signed any allocation paper. Out of that period, the property company was under me for one and half years, I didn’t sign any allocation paper or allocate land by myself to anybody without due process.
“There were board approvals for every allocation and no single person throughout my stay in Harmony Holdings could allocate land to anybody. I never signed a single allocation paper. It has to go through exco and board approval”, he added.
“I spend much more of my time at the head office as Group Executive Director in charge of administration and only about 18 months in property (session) without signing any allocation paper, either regularly or irregularly”, he submitted.
He however said the EFCC operatives never manhandled him and were thorough professionals during his invitation.
“They were courteous and respectful and I believe they know their job. I had visited the facility about four times now since the begging of August. They invited me routinely and I go give and give evidence, I don’t have anything negative to say about them
He said he hope to come out of the case victorious: “God being on my side and the said of truth, I hope to come out victorious, you know there had been a lot of underlining before we get to this stage since 2017. And when people build up whatever they want and want to keep lying repeatedly hoping that one day, it will become the truth. Among my colleagues, there had been a lot of misunderstanding; we all know how it ended up. But the truth will always come out as the truth.”
