Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, a former Minister of State for Defence, told the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday that he was forced to refund between N100m and N200m to the Federal Government under duress.
Obanikoro said this while testifying as the 12th prosecution witness in the trial of Mr Ayodele Fayose, the former governor of Ekiti State.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is investigating Fayose and his company, Spotless Investment Ltd, for alleged N2.2 billion fraud.
The EFCC accused Fayose of taking N1.2 billion from a former National Security Advisor, Sambo Dasuki, to prosecute his governorship election.
The defendants were also alleged of receiving $5 million from Obanikoro on June 17, 2014, without going through financial institutions.
Nevertheless, Fayose denied the allegations.
Obanikoro had already testified in court about transporting the cash on an aircraft and delivering it to Fayose in Ekiti State.
In two batches, he told Mr. justice Chukwujeku Aneke, N1.2 billion was transferred into the account of a company, Sylva McNamara, and used to pay clandestine security operations aimed at stopping terrorist activities in Lagos State.
At the resumption of the trial on Tuesday, Obanikoro told the court that during the investigation of the case, he was summoned by the EFCC, grilled, and compelled to repay N100m or N200m under duress.
Obanikoro, who told the court that after several investigations, the EFCC exonerated him of any wrong doing, added,”I was ordered to repay between N100m and N200m to the Federal Government under duress.
“I have instructed his lawyers to write to the EFCC demanding the return of the money allegedly refunded under duress,” he said.
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