THE circumstances surrounding the resignation of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun, remained foggy yesterday.

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It was, however, clear that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is investigating him over an alleged lodgment of some funds at the Fountain Trust Bank and some other banks in the country.

The bank yesterday confirmed that some men of the EFCC had visited it "as part of their routine investigation of one of our customers."
The EFCC chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, also told The Guardian yesterday in Abuja that Balogun is being investigated for the lodgment of some funds at the bank, adding, however, that the commission had not been able to determine the actual amount. Ribadu had made the same point on a Voice of America Hausa Service programme. He, however, denied that his commission recommended the IG's retirement.

Fountain Trust Bank, in a statement by its Head of Reputation and Brand Management, Adebola Adetunmbi, said that none of its officials was being held by security agencies.

The bank's statement reads: "The EFCC recently visited the bank as part of their routine investigation on one of our customers. The bank has thus far supported the efforts of the commission in the investigation and will continue to co-operate with it.

"The Acting Managing Director of the bank, Dr. Odunlami Kola-Daisi, is very much in the saddle and has made regular contact with key officials of the commission.

"Normalcy has been reinstated in the operations of the bank at the Head Office at Adeola Hopewell, Victoria Island.

"Contrary to some media reports, no official of the bank is being held by the commission." But while reacting last night, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Chris Olakpe, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, told The Guardian that neither he nor the Police had anything to say on the alleged investigation of the out-going IG.

He said since the EFCC is a separate agency of government, he could not speak on behalf of the officials working there.

"But if the EFCC has anything to tell Nigerians, it should be able to come out to say it. On my side, I don't have the details on something like that," Olakpe added.

Sources also said that the former managing director of the bank, Mr. Segun Aina, who has been named in the alleged lodgment, has since retirement been abroad and could not have been arrested as reported.

The Guardian learnt that while the investigation over funds is true, the IG's sudden retirement may also have been consequent upon some disagreements with other bodies. Balogun is said to have had a running battle with the Police Service Commission (PSC) over recent promotion exercises he carried out.

It was also learnt that the Police Affairs Ministry was worried by complaints that some of the officers and men promoted about two years ago were yet to receive the benefits and advised that caution be exercised in the subsequent exercises, to ensure that funds were made available before embarking on them.

Sources said that against this advice, the IG who had reportedly endeared himself to many in the Force with his spate of promotions for those who had stagnated for a long time, carried out a promotion exercise involving about 20,000 police personnel.

Besides, the Police Service Commission was said to have accused the outgoing Inspector-General of sidelining them in matters relating to promotion and discipline.

Particularly, the commission is said to be unhappy with the submission of the names of some officers who were alleged to have played some roles in the Anambra political crises, for promotion despite the investigation being carried out by the commission into their activities.

It was consequent upon this, according to sources, that both the minister and the PSC chairman went to President Olusegun Obasanjo that they could no longer work with Balogun.

The Guardian also learnt that a man who claimed to be a close confidant of the IG wrote to the EFCC alleging that Balogun allegedly had many private accounts amounting to about N7.5 billion at the Fountain Trust Bank and some other banks in the country.

The commissioners, according to sources, took the petition to President Obasanjo after which an angry President summoned Balogun to the Aso Villa and instructed him to write his retirement letter, despite denials by the IG.

EFFC's spokesman, Osita Nwaja, said yesterday that the commission would soon make a public statement on the alleged investigation.

He said the commission was still investigating the allegation and was yet to come up with a conclusion on whether the out-going IG was actually involved.

"As soon as we conclude our investigation, the chairman will make it public", he said.

On the report that officials of the commission had sealed off Fountain Trust Banks' corporate office on Victoria Island, Lagos, Nwaja said he was yet to be briefed.

He told The Guardian that the commission was poised to ensure a thorough probe.

"We are looking at a few things that touch the gentleman in question, the out-going Inspector-General of Police. Our men went to the Fountain Trust Bank to begin Investigation. Right now, few of our officials have been detailed to the bank to interact with the staff."
He added: "For now, we have not found the IG guilty of any offence until we conclude investigation."`