Obanikoro Demands Refund Of N200m Forfeited To EFCC “Under Duress”

Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, a former Minister of State for Defence, has on Tuesday told the Federal High Court in Lagos that he was made to refund between N100m and N200m to the Federal Government under duress.

Obanikoro stated this while he was testifying before the court as the 12th prosecution witness in the trial of a former governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose.

Fayose and his company, Spotless Investment Limited, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged N2.2bn fraud.

At the resumed trial on Tuesday, Obanikoro, while being cross-examined by the counsel for the second defendant, Mr Olalekan Ojo, (SAN), told the court that during the investigation of the case, he was invited by the EFCC, grilled and forced to refund N100m or N200m under duress.

Obanikoro, who told the court that after various investigations, the EFCC exonerated him of any wrong doing, added,”I was made to refund between N100m and N200m to the Federal Government under duress.

“I have instructed his lawyers, to write the EFCC for the return of the money he allegedly refunded under duress,” he said.