24th June, 2022
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has opened up on its raid of an Abuja property on Thursday evening and Friday morning.
The commission, in a statement on Friday by its spokesperson, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua debunked reports that multi-billion cash and dollars were recovered.
An online platform, SaharaReporters had reported that N1.85 billion was recovered from the home of former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai.
But the ICPC did not also link the owner of the property to Buratai, but said the property is owned by K Salam Construction Company, a military contractor.
The commission said contrary to the N1.85 billion being peddled in the media, it only recovered N175,706,500; $220,965; G-Wagon; 2022 editions of BMW and Mercedes Benz cars; customized mobile phones; several designer wrist watches, including three Rolexes, and some property documents.
Put together, the money recovered by the ICPC is N267.43 million rather than N1.85 billion.
The commission disclosed that the Managing Director of K Salam Construction Company Nigeria Limited, Mr. Kabiru Sallau had been arrested and that investigation was ongoing.
The commission said its attention was drawn to some inaccurate and concocted reports in the media about the seizure of multibillion-naira cash, dollars, Rolex watches stockpiled in an Abuja property.
“The Commission wishes to state that ICPC operatives raided a property in Wuse 2 of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, on Thursday, 16th June, 2022 between 5:00pm and 12:00am in suspicion of money laundering. Facts available for the time being indicate that the property is owned by owner of K Salam Construction Company, a military contractor.
“The Commission recovered money and other items from the property viz-a-viz N175,706,500; $220,965; G-Wagon; 2022 editions of BMW and Mercedes Benz cars; customized mobile phones; several designer wrist watches, including three Rolexes, and some property documents.
“The Commission arrested the Managing Director of K Salam Construction Company Nigeria Limited, Mr. Kabiru Sallau and investigation is ongoing.
“The Commission is yet to conclude its investigation and prefers not to preempt its outcome and also avoid the frenzy of a media trial,” it said.