Abacha loot: Police chief paid millions to bail prime suspect - Suspect re-arrested, moved to Abuja

Lanre Adewole, Abuja - 03.02.2008

AN Assistant Commissioner of Police {rtd} {names withheld} of Igala stock in Kogi State has been accused of collecting millions of naira to stand as surety for the prime suspect in the discovery of questionable tons of foreign currencies suspected to belong to the family of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha.

The prime suspect, who had allegedly confessed to be the main launderer of the illegal funds for the former first family, has reportedly been re-arrested and moved to Abuja by the Police.

Sources close to the case told the Sunday Tribune that the suspect is being detained at the Force CID Area 10, Garki, Abuja.

The Nigerian Tribune, a sister publication, had last Friday exclusively reported the controversial evacuation of the massive foreign currencies from an eight-storey pent house on F1, Sani Abacha Way, Kano, where the suspect reportedly fingered as the source of his sudden wealth and massive investment in different sectors of the economy.

The suspect was said to have been arrested at his mansion in Kogi State, with all the property traced to the man, said to be an ordinary security guard between 1999 and 2005, filmed by the Police.

A Police source hinted that he had made fresh statement, adding that the top echelon of the Police is interested in knowing the top officers that were alleged to have been collecting huge amount of money from him, to assist him on the case.

The suspect, according to the Police source, was first released on bail for just a day when the retired Police chief stepped into the matter after a prominent Igala prince {names withheld} who initially wanted to stand as surety for the suspect, washed his hands off the case when the evidence against the suspect was presented to him.

The suspect was said to have been talking behind bars after the expiration of the one-day bail, with the suspect reportedly going into a deeper negotiation with the retired top cop, when it dawned on him that the former officer had the necessary connection to get him out of the mess.

The deep negotiation allegedly resulted in the payment of millions of naira to the retired top cop, which led to the release of the suspect, after the retired officer allegedly shared the bail mini-loot with some top and middle cadre serving officers.

Police sources added that another top police officer ,who has his office on the 7th floor of the Force headquarters, Abuja, is already being accused of deliberately complicating investigations in the matter, after allegedly collecting millions of naira, said to have been shared with a state Commissioner of Police.

Investigation into the matter has reportedly led to the Police uncovering various bank accounts belonging to the suspect, allegedly containing millions of naira and dollars, while several movable and immovable properties allegedly acquired with the loot, had been identified and filmed by the Police.

Sunday Tribune had, while breaking the story of the fresh discovery of the alleged Abacha loot, reported the seizure of over N30 million, exotic cars, trucks and luxury buses from the prime suspect.

Though the suspect had reportedly alleged that he was fronting for the Abachas, which had been denied by the family, the Sunday Tribune further gathered that the Police are also working on the possibility of the suspect robbing a bank or making the money through some other illegal means.

The suspect, who was released on bail about two Thursdays ago after the retired police chief stood surety for him, is reportedly back behind bars after accusations that top officers were soiling their hands in the saga.