No fewer than six landed property allegedly owned by immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose were on Thursday sealed-off in Ado Ekiti by operatives of the EFCC.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the action may not be unconnected to a court order which authorised seizure of the property suspected to have been built with corrupt proceeds.
Fayose had earlier raised an alarm of deliberate `persecution and witch hunting’ after his last encounter with the EFCC.
The anti-graft had pressed charges against Fayose in a Federal High Court Lagos on allegations of fraud while serving as governor.
Parts of the notice of seizure placed by the anti-graft body on the property in Ado Ekiti, read thus: “EFCC, Keep-off’’, “Property under Investigation’’ among others.
However, Fayose had accused the EFCC of going about town sealing property belonging to innocent individuals arbitrarily under the guise that those properties belonged to him.
The former governor said this in a statement signed by his Media Assistant, Lere Olayinka, and made available to newsmen.
Fayose said his response to the unfortunate incident was aimed at informing the public ahead of the EFCC’s usual blackmail and media trial.
“I have just been informed that operatives of the EFCC are going about sealing houses of innocent people in the state, under the guise that the houses are linked to me.
“This is another wild goose chase and the usual media campaign against my person.
“It is only in our country that an anti-corruption agency will first go about sealing houses before determining the ownership, which can be done so easily by visiting relevant agencies.
“I am therefore, informing the public ahead of their usual blackmail and media trial.
“Please note that none of the property in question is owned by me and the records are there for anyone that is interested to see.
“The EFCC is advised to stop going about looking for ways to malign my person just because of their hatred as a result of my uncompromising stands on national issues.
“Even if the commission is being pressured from ‘above’ to persecute me at all cost, it should at least, do its job diligently to save itself from persistent embarrassment,” he said.
