Abdul-Aziz Nyako, son of impeached Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, is presently an unwilling guest of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), 24 hours after he was arrested in Gombe, Gombe State, and was immediately flown to EFCC Headquarters in Abuja.

“He is currently being grilled by a crack team of detectives who had been working on the Adamawa investigation for several months,” EFCC Head, Media & Publicity Wilson Uwujaren said.

Abdul-Aziz and his father were declared wanted by EFCC two weeks ago in connection with stealing, abuse of office and money laundering. The senior Nyako “is still on the run,” but is being trailed, EFCC said.

As for Abdul-Aziz, “he is currently telling investigators all he knows about illicit funds traced to companies where he has interest,” EFCC said in a statement signed by Uwujaren.

According to Uwujaren in the statement issued yesterday in Abuja, “Specifically, he will have to explain how over N15 billion funds belonging to Adamawa State was laundered into the accounts of five companies owned by him – Blue Opal Nigeria limited, Crust Energy Nigeria Limited, Blue Ribbon Multilinks Limited, Tower Assets Management Limited and Blue Ribbon Bureau De Change.

“The funds were funneled into the accounts of the companies from Adamawa State accounts domiciled in a new generation bank by the account officer who incidentally is the manager and an in-law to ex-governor Nyako.

“The manager claimed he transferred the funds through verbal instruction from the former governor for purposes which are not stated.

“Investigations revealed that from 2007 to 2011 within Nyako’s tenure in office, before he was impeached in 2014, he had directed that all of the state owned accounts domiciled in various banks be transferred to the new generation bank.

“Abdul-Aziz’s company, Blue Opal, is said to own, among other investments in Nigeria, an estate in Abuja, while his father’s account officer owns several properties and investments scattered around Abuja, Yola and Kano.”

•Photo of Abdul-Aziz Nyako courtesy of Premium Times.

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