Billionaire Tunde Ayeni Arrested, Clamped Into Detention

Eniola Adeniyi

President Muhammadu Buhari is not relenting in his fight against corruption.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has detained a former Chairman of Skye Bank Plc (Now Polaris Bank), Tunde Ayeni, for fraud running into billions of naira.

Emerging details have it that Ayeni was arrested and detained yesterday – Wednesday, February 6, 2019.

According to information monitored on Thisrepublic by societynow.ng, this development transpired in Abuja according to information available.

The development is believed to be part of the ongoing prosecution of the business for corruption charges.
EFCC, on December 17, 2018, arraigned Ayeni before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja on an eight-count charge, bordering on money laundering to the tune of about N8 billion.

Ayeni was arraigned alongside Timothy Oguntayo, for allegedly conspiring at different times to fraudulently divert depositors’ funds domiciled at Skye Bank Plc.

After the arraignment, the judge, in a dramatic twist, granted the defendants 36 hours freedom, to meet the bail conditions or be remanded in Kuje prison. They were asked to go home. Eyebrows were raised about this brazen disregard for the anti-corruption war by this government.

One of the counts reads: “That you Dr. Tunde Ayeni whilst being the Chairman Board of Directors of Skye Bank Plc and Timothy Ajani Oguntayo whilst being the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Skye Bank between the years 2014 and 2015 conspired at different times to do an illegal act, to wit; caused cash delivery to you, Dr. Tunde Ayeni of the sums of money totalling N4,750,000,000 (Four Billion, Seven Hundred and Fifty Million Naira) and USD5,000,000 (Five Million United States Dollars) belonging to Skye Bank Plc, contrary to the provisions of Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended) read together with Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16(2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended)”.