Former Lagos Speaker Ikuforiji narrates 12-year ordeal over alleged money laundering charge

Akinboye Akintola

A former Speaker of Lagos State Assembly, Chief Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has vowed not to press any charges against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, even though he was persecuted based on wrongful allegations.

Chief Ikuforiji and his former his former Personal Assistant, Mr. Oyebode Atoyebi, on Monday, June 24, 2024 were discharged and acquitted of the 54-count charge leveled against them by the EFCC at the Federal High Court in Lagos.

Recounting his experiences during the money laundering case with the EFCC, Chief Ikuforiji who explained that the last twelve and a half years were harrowing and traumatic for him and his family, added that the judgment on June 24th marked his day of independence.

According to the former speaker, he received a call from the then EFCC Director of Operations, Mohammed, on his way for Umrah in Saudi Arabia, and he honored the request to report immediately, upon his return to the country.

Chief Ikuforiji noted that he spent the weekend on the floor of an EFCC cell in Abuja, over a petition with no name, known address, or telephone number.

He disclosed that EFCC operatives later scrutinized the financial books of the Assembly for months, without finding anything incriminating against him.

The former Speaker pointed out that the anti-graft agents later informed him that the books of the Assembly were the cleanest, among all arms of government at state and federal levels.

However, he noted that the only observation was that most of their transactions were done with physical cash, which was the practice in the system at the time.

He stated further that the money laundering case, inspired him to study law at the University of Lagos, noting that the case could have had political or social undertone.

The former legislator noted that he never left politics during the twelve and a half years of his ordeal, but did not stand for election, which was not proper for anyone under investigation.

According to Chief Ikuforiji, 2027 is in the hands of God as no one can say who will be alive by then.

He said further, “I am a very happy man as my joy knows no bounds in the last 48 hours and I’m extremely grateful to God Almighty for seeing me through the ordeal.”

The former number three man in Lagos said he led the most progressive Assembly within the period of his leadership, which lasted for ten years, as people came from far and near to learn from the wealth of experience in the House.

He recalled that the National Assembly came several times to the Lagos Assembly, adding that the state assembly passed the Freedom of Information Bill and the Child Rights Act before any state or national parliament.

The former Lagos Speaker canvassed a re-orientation among the citizenry to enable growth and development, and implored media professionals to avoid sensationalism of stories capable of heating up the polity.

Chief Ikuforiji was elected from Epe Constituency into the Lagos State Assembly in 2003, where he spent twelve years over three terms, and served as the Speaker for ten years.