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Kukah visits EFCC cell, prays for Abati, Obanikoro, Fani-Kayode

By Emeka Anuforo, Abuja
01 November 2016   |   4:30 am
Five days after he was granted bail, columnist and former Presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuban Abati is still in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), according to signals from the commission.
 Mathew Hassan Kukah

Mathew Hassan Kukah

Five days after he was granted bail, columnist and former Presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati is still in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), according to signals from the commission.

Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Rev. Father Matthew Hassan Kukah, visited the cells of the commission in Abuja where he met with, and prayed for the detainees.

Among those he reportedly met with were Abati and former ministers, Femi Fani-Kayode and Musiliu Obanikoro.

The Head of Media and Publicity at EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren confirmed that Bishop Kukah visited the EFCC facilities yesterday.

In a statement issued in Abuja, Uwujaren said: “He commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the state of its facilities in Abuja, which he described as ‘clean and orderly’. He made the remarks on Monday October 31, 2016 during an unscheduled visit to the commission’s detention facility and clinic, where he felicitated with some of the inmates, including former ministers, Femi Fani-Kayode and Musiliu Obanikoro as well as a former presidential spokesperson, Reuben Abati.

“The revered priest, who was conducted round the facilities by the Acting Chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Magu, expressed delight that the detainees appeared in high spirits despite the discomfort of temporary restriction. He urged them not to be downcast and to see their current travail as divine. Also speaking, Magu assured the inmates that their incarceration was not personal.

“It is not personal. This is all about Nigeria and making it better. And I think there is a consensus around this, Magu said.”

Kukah was quoted to have said: “I discussed with some detained suspects like Fani-Kayode, Obanikoro and Abati and I am quite pleased they are looking cheerful. I was also happy with the humility of the acting chairman of EFCC who took me round and the way he interacted with the detainees. This is what is important for our country so that nobody takes these kinds of things personal. I am happy I came.

“We are all staff of EFCC to the extent that we want a better country and we are doing what needs to be done. We’ll continue praying that God guides you, keeps you safe and ensure that we build a country that we all will be proud of. This country has suffered so much, but we hope and pray that we can bring the suffering and trauma to an end as we collectively fight corruption.”

EFCC had on Thursday granted Abati bail.
As part of his bail conditions, Abati is to drop his international passport and produce a guarantor of level 16 or above in government service.

Abati was arrested on October 24 over accusation that he received N50 million from the embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).

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