A former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Babatunde Fowler, is currently in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Lagos undergoing questioning over alleged diversion of funds.
Fowler, who was also the Chairman of the Lagos Inland Revenue Service, is responding to questions over his links to a firm, Alpha Beta, which helps Lagos State to reconcile taxes for a fee of 10 per cent monthly.
Alpha Beta is believed to be owned by the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who was said to have influenced Fowler’s appointment as FIRS chairman.
It was learnt that Fowler was being questioned by EFCC operatives for the revenue shortfall of the FIRS, which resulted in his disagreement with the late Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, and failure to secure a renewal of his tenure last year.
A source at the EFCC said, “Fowler has many questions to answer. He is being probed over the Alpha Beta matter and he is giving us information on how the company works. However, he will also be interrogated over his tenure in FIRS.
“You will recall that Abba Kyari had complained about revenue shortfall at the FIRS. A director at the FIRS had also written a petition against Fowler. We have also received documents from the current management of the FIRS, which probed Fowler and found him wanting.
“It is a very long investigation and in the next two to three weeks, we will be inviting other people.”
EFCC spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said on Monday that Fowler honoured an invitation of the anti-graft agency.
“He is currently in our Lagos office after honouring an invitation,” he said.
Uwujaren added that the investigation centred on many things and it was too soon to divulge details.