Why We Arrested Babalele, Atiku’s Son-In-Law, Finance Officer – EFCC

Many days after raging furore over the arrest of Alhaji Babalele Abdullahi, who is the son-in-law to the defeated presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday owned up picking up the man.

The Commission while admitting for the first time that its operatives arrested Babalele, who is also the Finance Director of Atiku’s group of companies, justified the arrest of the man, saying that he was engaged in money laundering to the tune of€150 million.

The anti-graft agency did not however specify how the huge sum was laundered or where it originated and where it terminated.



But Vanguard learnt authoritatively that Atiku’s son-in-law was ‘taken away’ by security agents on the suspicion that he could use hard currency to unduly influence the outcome of many polls taking place in the country.

Although the EFCC had initially kept mute over the arrest of Babalele, the agency on Monday tried to douse rising tension over the detention of the man, admitting that he was in its custody but did not indicate the exact location where the man was being kept.

A source in the commission said: “Yes, he Babalele is being investigated over alleged case of money laundering and the sum involved is €150 million.

“Let it be known that investigation into the matter is ongoing and we can confirm that Babalele is in our custody.

 But he will be released soon,” the source hinted on Monday following enquiry by Vanguard. However when contacted, the acting spokesman for EFCC, Mr. Tony Orilade, who confirmed the detention of Babalele, however declined further comments on the matter, insisting that the commission does not conduct its investigation in the media.