Why Atiku Escaped Prosecution Over Alleged Funds Transfer – Agbonayinma Reveals

Former member of the House of Representatives representing Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency of Edo State, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, has explained why he believes former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was not prosecuted over an alleged funds transfer case investigated during his time in office.

According to reports, Agbonayinma said he gave the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) an ultimatum to revisit the matter because the investigation had remained unresolved for years.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Saturday, the former lawmaker argued that Atiku enjoyed constitutional immunity while serving as Vice President, which, according to him, prevented authorities from prosecuting him or taking the matter to court at the time.

Agbonayinma recalled that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had previously called for an investigation into Atiku, alleging that funds transferred out of Nigeria and moved through international destinations passed through companies allegedly linked to the former Vice President.

He further claimed that investigations conducted by United States authorities uncovered the movement of millions of dollars through different banks.

The former lawmaker stressed that he was not responsible for initiating the investigation or the original petition against Atiku, noting that the former Vice President should be presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

He questioned why the EFCC had allegedly failed to conclude or act on the matter despite the investigation having been conducted years earlier, particularly under the leadership of former EFCC Chairman Nuhu Ribadu.

Agbonayinma said the focus should not be on why the matter is being raised now but on why a case that had already been investigated has allegedly remained unresolved.

He also expressed concern over what he described as unequal treatment in the fight against corruption, arguing that Nigerians accused of stealing relatively small amounts could end up in prison while individuals accused of much larger financial crimes could avoid prosecution because of immunity or other legal protections.

According to him, the central question is why the long-standing matter has not been properly revisited and addressed by the EFCC.