Innoson Said "EFCC must tell me my offence"

Innocent Chukwuma, the Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Group of Companies, who was released after been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and later released, said he has never forged tax documents in his life.

Mr. Chukwuma also said he insisted EFCC must tell him his offence after he was told to go, saying he has been humiliated for an unknown offence.

“I have never forged tax waiver documents in my life. I pay all my taxes, I pay my duties;I am a genuine businessman; I’m an industrialist.

“In due time, I will tell Nigerians the whole truth about this matter. I intend to work with EFCC on this alleged investigation, so as to clear my name, which has been badly damaged, and I will follow up this so-called investigation to its logical conclusion.”

According to the businessman, he was arrested about early morning without previously being invited by the anti-graft agency for interrogation. This, he termed humiliation, saying he was arrested in his short and singlet like a common criminal from Enugu to Lagos.

Chukwuma said: “I thank everybody, who fought on this matter. I was suprised that in the early morning, they (EFCC operatives)jumped into my house. I thought they were kidnappers or armed robbers but finally, I noticed it was EFCC. Around 7:30 am, they said they wanted to arrest me and I followed them to their office and up till now, they have not told me what offence I committed.

“When I got there, they said I should go, but they didn’t tell me what I did.

“EFCC under Ibrahim Magu has never invited me, nobody invited me, they just jumped into my house. If they invited me, I would have answered them because I am a genuine businessman. I am an industrialist, I don’t have any skeleton in my cupboard.

“That’s why I asked them to tell me what I did, but up till now, they have not told me what I did. I said I will stay with them until they tell me what I did.”

Asked if he was considering court action against the EFCC, Chukwuma said: “I don’t know for now if I will go to court against this unlawful arrest, but what I know is that they have not told me what I did.”