AN investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into suspicions that the N15 billion multipurpose business complex under construction at Gunduma village, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State by a businessman, Alhaji Abdulhamid Mahmud Zari, has become a subject of controversy.
The complex encompasses a bakery, hospital, pharmacy, filling station, restaurants, banking halls, supermarkets, public conveniences and a truck assembly plant.
It also boasts staff quarters and personal residential quarters for family and relations.
On March 27, 2017, EFCC operatives from the Procurement Fraud Section conducted a search and eventually sealed off the place, arresting and detaining Zari, Managing Director of G-Complex Nigeria Ltd. in the process.
Upon his release in June 2017, Zari has written at least two petitions to President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, asking for their intervention against what he described as “illegal extortion of money and use of office to perverse and truncate the course of justice.”
According to him, “the operatives invaded my home and business premises without a search warrant or court order, carted away my personal properties, including international passport, landed property documents and countless other belongings and are still holding on to them till date.”
Aside from stalling of the project and losing money, Zari alleged that before he was released on bail, N4 million was extorted from him and a promise was made that all the documents carted away from his premises would be returned.
Speaking with Saturday Tribune, Zari said the invasion of his premises was masterminded by a retired Superintendent of Police, who is presently an EFCC operative (name withheld), an indigene of Gunduma village, who was his business partner but now using his official position to oppress him after their relationship went sour.
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However, EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement, debunked the allegations by Zari, telling Nigerians that “that there is no truth to this allegation, which is contrived to malign and impugn the reputation of an operative who has handled several high-profile investigations without blemish.”
According to Zari, EFCC had informed him that nobody wrote a petition against him alleging illegal activities but that a whistleblower squealed on him.
He alleged that the retired police officer offered him a parcel of land for N20 million which he refused and that since then, some youths in Gunduma village, from where the operative hails, have caused trouble for his workers, leading to several arrests and court cases.
Contacted, the operative referred our correspondent to the statement issued by Uwujaren, insisting that it represented his position.
The statement challenged Zari to take the additional step of stating the time, place and circumstances in which the N4 million bribe money was collected from him and by whom, together with witnesses to the transaction.
“It will interest members of the public, who may have been misled by the mischievous story, to know that Zari has been crossed with the operative over suspicion that he instigated the investigation leading to his arrest and detention by the commission,” the statement said.