The Kogi State House of Assembly candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Ismaila Yusuf Atumeyi, arrested with N326 million and $140,500 cash, reportedly criticized the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Gregory Onwubuasi Obi, saying that if he gets elected as president, he will create poverty
Atumeyi, who is seeking to represent Ankpa 11 Constituency in the Kogi State House of Assembly also said that the masses will witness massive hunger if and when Obi eventually emerges.
In a statement credited to Atumeyi, he said:
“There are only three credible men running for the office of the president. Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
“As for Peter Obi, when a man should come out and tell you that as a sitting governor, he had just two belts, that person will come and create massive poverty.
“For a country that is so wealthy and you are telling us that you only had two waist belts as a governor…
“With zero apology, that is a poor man thinking. That man is going to create poverty.
“What we are seeing under this government is terrible and if Obi eventually emerges, we are going to witness massive hunger.”
In the meantime, however, he was arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday for suspected money laundering and fraud.
News Band has reported that EFCC operatives arrested the NNPP Kogi State House of Assembly candidate with N326 million and $140,500 cash.
According to EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, Atumeyi was arrested on Sunday, October 30, 2022 alongside one Joshua Dominic, an alleged serial fraudster, in a sting operation at Macedonia Street, Queens Estate, Karsana, Gwarinpa, Abuja.
Also arrested in connection with the fraud is Abdumalik Salau Femi, a former bank employee, who allegedly supplied the inside information that facilitated the attack on the bank by the syndicate.
He was picked up on Tuesday at Radisson Blu Hotel in Lagos, the EFCC statement said.
Following his arrest, a search was conducted on his home in Morgan Estate, Ojodu where a total of $470,000 was recovered.
The arrest of the suspects followed months of investigation into the hacking of one of the commercial banks by a syndicate of fraudsters who pulled off a heist of N1.4billion.
The syndicate allegedly moved N887million into the account of Fav Oil and Gas limited, from where the monies were paid to several Bureau de Change operators and some auto dealers for exchange into United States dollars and purchase of high-end cars. Read more.
Read more details of the report below: