Something happened in Nigeria in April 2017 that shocked everyone. The ending of this story will shock you even more.
The EFCC received information about a large amount of money being kept inside a private apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The information came through a whistleblower.
Then on the 12th of April 2017, EFCC officers went to the flat at Osborne Towers in Ikoyi.
When they entered the apartment, they found large sums of money kept inside metal cabinet and Ghana must go bag.
The money was all in cash.
After counting, the EFCC discovered about 43 million dollars, 27,800 British pounds and 23 million Naira.
All in cash.
The apartment was quickly sealed and the money was taken into EFCC custody.
As investigation continued, the apartment and the money were linked to Folashade Oke.
Fulashade Oke is the wife of Ayodele Oke.
At that time, Ayodele Oke was the director general of the National Intelligence Agency.
President Mohammadu Buhari ordered his immediate suspensions as the director general of the National Intelligence Agency to allow for investigation.
Court documents later showed that the apartment was bought in 2015 through a company and that company was led by Folashade Oke and her son, and the apartment was reportedly purchased with cash.
Omo cash was flowing then.
During the investigations, there were allegations that the money found in the apartment could be unlawful public funds suspected to have been diverted while Ayodele Oke was the head of intelligence agency.
By November 2017 the matter had reached the Federal High Court in Lagos In early November the EFCC summoned Ayodele Oke and his wife to appear for questioning in connection with the cash discovery.
On November 9, 2017, the Federal High Court ordered the interim forfeiture of the Ikoyi apartment and the entire sum of money to the federal government of Nigeria.
The court then gave a period of 14 days for any person or organization to come forward and show why the property and the money should not be permanently forfeited to the government.
But no successful legal claim was established.
The court later ordered the finance official of the cash and the apartment to the federal government.
The whistleblower who provided the information was rewarded under the federal whistleblowing policy.
In 2019, the EFCC declared Ayodele Oke and his wife wanted, after they failed to appear in court, to face charges later to the money laundry and unlawful possessions of funds.
The case remained in court for several years. Because the man and his wife had fled the country long before for acclaimed medical reasons.
And then finally, in June 2023, the EFCC applied to withdraw the charges. Why?.
The commission told the court that the withdrawal was based on national security considerations.
The Federal High Court granted the request.
And that was how the charges were struck out.
And the case was brought to an end, just like that.
Now guess what? Here’s the shocker…
The same Ayodele Oke is now Nigerian’s ambassador-designate to France.
He was nominated by President Tinubu and confirmed by the Nigerian Senate.
Do not scratch your ear.
You indeed heard what I said.
Welcome to our motherland.
~ Fidelis