The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, was hurriedly released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday after suffering high blood pressure during interrogation.
Sources at the anti-graft agency told our correspondent that the lawmaker, who was interrogated for over eight hours on Tuesday, returned for another round of questioning on Wednesday morning but after some hours, he took ill.
A detective at the commission said, “During the interrogation on Wednesday, the Deputy Senate President started to complain of discomfort and he told us that he had high blood pressure. We noticed the symptoms and we immediately released him.”
Ekweremadu, who has been a senator since 2003, is, among other things, accused of owning 22 properties.
It was alleged that while the lawmaker listed some of the properties in his asset declaration form filled at the Code of Conduct Bureau, over half of the properties were undeclared.
The undeclared assets were identified as 11, Evans Enwerem Street, Apo Legislative Quarters, Apo, Abuja; Plot 2633 Kyami, Abuja; Housing Estate, Plot 1106 CRD, Cadastral Zone 07-07, Lugbe, Abuja; Plot 2782, Asokoro Extension, Abuja; houses at Citi Park Estate, Gwagwalada, Abuja; and Plot 1474, Cadastral Zone BD6, Mabushi, Abuja.
Other properties allegedly undeclared by the senator include Congress Court, Abuja; Flat 1, Block D25, Athletics Street, (24th Street) Games Village, Abuja; and Plot 66, 64 Crescent, Gwarimpa Estate, Abuja.
Properties allegedly owned by Ekweremadu abroad include Flat 4 Varsity Court, Harmer Street, WIH 4NW, London; 52 Ayleston Avenue, NW6 7AB, London; Room 1903, The Address Hotel, Downtown Dubai; The Address Boulevard, 3901, Dubai; two Flats of Burij Side Boulevard (the signature), Dubai and Emirate Gardens Apartment No. EGG1/1/114, Dubai.