Rita Odafe
Adeyemi Ikuforiji, a former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, expressed that he had endured unwarranted persecution for more than 12 years by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He mentioned that the accusations of financial misconduct against him were unfounded and unfair.
Ikuforiji made these remarks following the dismissal of the money laundering charges brought against him by the EFCC.
Addressing journalists at his office in Ikeja, Ikuforiji recounted the ordeal he went through for over a decade.
He showed his relief, saying, “I am incredibly grateful to God. I served as Speaker for 10 years and faced persecution for 12 and a half years due to a wrongful accusation. I suffered needlessly during that time span.
“An anonymous individual sent a petition to the EFCC, alleging that the Lagos State House of Assembly coerced the governor into paying N500 million monthly as running costs. Subsequently, the petitioner claimed that after 14 months, the Speaker had embezzled N7 billion. This marked the beginning of the whole ordeal.
“The EFCC conducted a thorough examination of the House’s financial records for three months and one week. Ultimately, they found no evidence of misappropriation, theft, or embezzlement from the funds allocated to the House. The investigator in charge confirmed that our records were the most organized and detailed he had ever encountered.
