The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released a new statement on Justice Binta Nyako, saying that the letter of the Acting Chairman of the Commission, Mr Ibrahim Magu requesting that all EFCC court cases being handled by Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court, Abuja be reassigned to another judge was sent to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Adamu Abdu-Kafarati and not the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Walter Samuel Onnoghen, as earlier reported.
In the statement, the Commission apologized for the misinformation, saying that:
“We had erroneously reported yesterday, 22nd November, 2018 that the letter was sent to the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Walter Samuel Onnoghen. The error is regretted”
The EFCC in the statement reports that, the Prosecuting Counsel, Onjefu Obe, had said that the request for transfer of the cases was in a bid to obtain fair trial. .
According to the Commission, Obe expressed his concern as:
“the concern of the Commission to reassign all EFCC cases before Justice Binta Nyako, borders on likely bias on part of the trial judge, considering the fact that the EFCC is also prosecuting her husband, Murtala Nyako, a former Adamawa State governor for alleged fraud”.
He made this known on November 21, 2018 in the course of prosecution of the quartet of Umar Audu Bida, Truth Igogori, Ifenyinwa Nwankwesiri and Ogechukwu Obaji by the EFCC over their complicity in a $1million fraud.