Former FCT minister,Alhaji Bala Mohammed arrested

The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The former minister in the cabinet of former President Goodluck Jonathan is reported to have been arrested later on Monday....


According to Premium Times, sources confirmed the arrest with one saying: “Yes, we have him in our custody.”

Another source said Mr. Mohammed’s detention was still being processed at about 8:45 p.m. on Monday.

He is expected to spend at least Monday night at the commission’s office.

Mr. Mohammed, a former senator from Bauchi State, served as the Minister of the FCT under President Goodluck Jonathan between 2010 and 2015.

An anti-corruption crackdown launched by the Muhammadu Buhari administration shortly after assuming office last year had seen dozens of the Jonathan administration officials and associates arrested for corruption.

Alongside Mohammed, others in EFCC custody as at Monday night were Musiliu Obanikoro, a former minister of state for defence; Femi Fani-Kayode, a spokesperson for Mr. Jonathan’s re-election campaign last year, and Reuben Abati, the former president’s spokesperson while in office.

Reports say that the former Spokesman to Jonathan, Mr Reben Abati, was also arrested on Monday.

The arrest is in connection with alleged N100 million he collected from the embattled ex-National Security Adviser (NSO), retired Col. Sambo Dasuki.

Dasuki currently standing trial is alleged to have illegally disbursed the sum of $2.1 billion meant to procure arms for the Army.

Mr Femi Fani Kayode, another former aide to Jonathan was re-arrested last week over unspecified huge sums of money he also collected from the NSO.

Kayode was former aviation minister and campaign coordinator to Jonathan.