EFCC Detain Sylva's Brother-In-law, Seize Cocaine

SAN FRANCISCO, June 15, (THEWILL) – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Friday morning raided the Abuja residence of Mr. Richie Imoh Tommy, former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva’s brother-In-Law, where it seized a bag containing substances believed to be cocaine and subsequently took him into custody.

THEWILL gathered the EFCC raided the house in search of documents and evidence to nail Sylva for alleged financial crimes perpetrated during his 4-year tenure as governor of oil-rich Bayelsa.

Several phone calls to EFCC spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwajaren to get further details of the raid were not acknowledged.

But Richie in a statement has denied knowledge of the substance and has accused the EFCC of planting the substance inside his residence.

The statement reads, “In an apparent plot targeted at former Bayelsa State governor, Chief

Timipre Sylva, men of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) stormed the Abuja residence of his brother-in-law, Mr. Richie Imoh Tommy, early Friday morning.

“They conducted a thorough search of the house, and when they found nothing incriminating, they produced a bag which they said contained cocaine.

“On that basis, Mr. Tommy was arrested and has been denied access to his lawyers.

“Mr. Tommy completely denies ownership of the said bag, and wonders why even without a test or investigation, EFCC would claim to have found cocaine in his house. Besides, it remains curious how EFCC suddenly became a drug-busting organ.

“Mr. Tommy believes that the EFCC assault on his residence and the allegation of a cocaine-laden bag is another desperate mission targeted at his in-law, the former Bayelsa State governor, by agents of President Goodluck Jonathan.”