Again, EFCC quizzes former FIRS boss Fowler

The Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) for the second time in two days quizzed the immediate past Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Babatunde Fowler.

The development was confirmed in a statement on Tuesday by the spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, who said that Fowler, who is also the former Chairman of the Lagos Inland Revenue Service, still had questions to answer hence his return to the commission.

“He was allowed to go home last night and he has returned this morning,” Uwujaren said.

Reports say, Fowler was questioned for seven hours on Monday and was allowed to go home late at night on the condition that he returns on Tuesday.

Fowler is reportedly being quizzed by the EFCC over allegations levelled against Alpha Beta Consulting.

The invitation is said to be part of investigations into an alleged N100 billion tax evasion fraud levelled against the company, said to be owned by a former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu.

A former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Alpha Beta Consulting, Dapo Apara, had in a petition to the EFCC in 2018, accused the firm, which has the exclusive rights to monitor and collect Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) on behalf of the Lagos Government, of involving in a N100 billion tax evasion fraud.

In the petition which Apara wrote through his lawyer, Adetunji Shoyoye and Associates, he said that Alpha Beta Consulting “has become an avenue for official corruption of government officials, a conduit pipe for massive money-laundering scheme, tax evasion, among other vices.”