EFCC to review bail granted Lagos Speaker

The Economic andFinancial CrimesCommission (EFCC) has said it is planning to review the administrative bail granted the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji and his aide, Oyebode Alade Atoyebi.To this end, the duo are expected to show up at the Lagos office of the commission by 10a.m. on Monday, December 19, 2011.This was disclosed by the counsel for the anti-graft agency, Godwin Obla, on Thursday while responding to the submissions of Ikuforiji's counsel, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), after he had argued a motion seeking a revocation of the bench warrant issued against the speaker and his aide by a Federal High Court judge.It will be recalled that Justice James Tsoho of a Federal High Court in Lagos had last Friday, at the request of Obla, issued a bench warrant against Ikuforiji and his aide to compel their appearance to answer to fraud charges levelled against them by the commission.During Thursday's proceedings, Ikuforiji's counsel, urged the court to revoke the bench warrant issued against his client saying there was no need for it in the first place since Ikuforiji was never served with any court summons by the EFCC.While expressing his client's readiness to appear in court on January 17, 2012, the next adjourned date, Oyetibo also declared that Ikuforiji and his aide would be visiting the commission's office on Monday, December 19, 2011.Responding, EFCC's counsel, disclosed that the arrest warrant was requested for so as to compel the accused to attend their trial.He said the commission had no objection to the revocation of the warrant of arrest issued against the accused.However, Obla indicated that, 'we have agreed that the accused should present themselves at the EFCC's office on Monday by 10a.m. for the commission to take a second look at the administrative bail they have been enjoying.'The order for the bench warrant on the two accused was later vacated by Justice Tsoho.The anti-graft agency had filed a 20-count charge of laundering about N518.1 million against Ikuforiji and Atoyebi.
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