Jang denies ownership of N500m mansion EFCC said was traced to him, shuns commission’s invite

Following allegation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that a N500 million worth of property had been traced to him, former Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State has denied the claim by the anti graft agency.

Jang who represents Plateau north in the Senate also turned down the invitation by the commission over the matter.

The EFCC recently said it had discovered a property belonging to the former Governor in Kaduna state and subsequently invited him to its Kano office on December 5th over the ownership of the property.

According to the EFCC, the property was located at No. 8 and 9 Gobarau Road, Unguwan Rimi GRA Kaduna state.

But a statement by Jang in Jos on Monday explained that the former chairman of Nigerian governors forum would not honour the invitation of the agency owing to the fact that the senator was standing trial in Jos and the invitation would be as around the time he would appear in court.

Read also: EFCC says it has traced houses worth N500m to Jang

Issued through his media consultant, Clinton Garuba, the statement reads in part, “The decision to turn down the invitation was an easy one because the Senator is under trial in Jos the Plateau State Capital having been charged to court by the same commission, and the matter is expected to commence definite hearing around the date of the invitation. To be sure, it is baffling how the EFCC expects the serving Senator to be in two places at the same time since he does not possess any psychic abilities”.

The statement explains that the property does not belong to Jang but was a property formerly belonging to Northern Nigerian Development Company, Kaduna.

It explained further that although it was allocated to the senator, he did not acquire it because he lost interest in.

“To be exact, the invitation is not unconnected with the story in the news alleging that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has traced a mansion worth N500million to Senator Jonah Jang. The property located at No. 8 and 9 Gobarau Road, Unguwan Rimi GRA, Kaduna State does not belong to Senator Jang, and this is not the first time the commission would investigate its ownership.

“The property formerly belonging to Northern Nigerian Development Company, Kaduna, was allocated to the Senator while he was the executive Governor of Plateau State but eventually lost interest and did not continue with the acquisition.

“EFCC has this information and it knows the actual owners of the said property. Unfortunately, but deliberately EFCC continues to harass the Senator in its usual media trials aimed at tarnishing his glowing name and reputation.

“To his numerous friends, supporters, and admirers of his transformational work in Plateau State, the Senator wishes to admonish them to be calm and steadfast no matter the odds, as the recent allegation is nothing new, but one of the endless attempts at dealing with him by the powers that be. The Senator is in high spirit, and fervently ready to face his accusers in court, and not in the pages of newspapers.”

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