The operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) who allegedly assaulted former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode will not be punished, according to Jude Ndukwe, his spokesperson.

Ndukwe claims that the pardon given to the operative is in line with the plan of the agency to keep Fani-Kayode in custody for as long as possible until he is killed.

Fani-Kayode was allegedly assaulted by Kabiru Suleiman, an operative of the EFCC for praying while in custody of the agency.

The former Minister was detained by the EFCC on May 9 after he honored an invitation by the commission to explain his role in an alleged looting of funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

According to a statement released by Ndukwe, “Plans have been concluded by the EFCC to keep Femi Fani-Kayode in custody without trial for up to, at least, another three months. The plan, according to our reliable sources, is for Fani-Kayode to be “punished” for his comments on national issues rather than for corruption as widely reported.”

“Although the date for arraignment has been fixed for Tuesday, June 28, our investigations revealed that EFCC has no intention whatsoever to take the Ife-born chief to court, a situation that would force the court to adjourn for a long time. And with the three-month recess for judges around the corner, precisely starting on July 11, it is the plan of EFCC that Fani-Kayode would remain in custody till the judges resume sometime in October.”

After being detained in Abuja for two weeks without trial, Fani-Kayode was transported to Lagos allegedly for further investigation by the EFCC, where a warrant for his continued incarceration for another 3 weeks was obtained.

“On the expiration of the three weeks, EFCC planted a story in the media that he would be arraigned on Friday, June 17, 2016, but that date happened to be a mere media propaganda to cover their sinister motives. Afraid that such an act might raise dust, they quickly announced another date of Tuesday, June 21, 2016. While Femi Fani-Kayode was brought to court this time around, the judge to sit over the matter was absent.”

“Another inside source said a senior operative of the EFCC had told Fani-Kayode to the hearing of those around that they would make sure he is kept in custody “for another 5 years without trial”. “We will kill you and nothing would happen” he was said to have fumed without provocation.”

“The source who does not want to be named because of the sensitive nature of the matter further said it is only a miracle that could save Femi Fani-Kayode from the wicked plans to have him remain in the anti-graft agency’s custody as long as possible, and probably have him eliminated at a time when news about him would no longer be prominent in the media.”

“To confirm this, the source said Sulaiman Kabiru, the EFCC operative who physically assaulted Femi Fani-Kayode over the weekend would not be punished for his recalcitrant behavour towards a person in their custody.”

“The source further said he feared for Fani-Kayode’s life if he is continually detained without trial as EFCC operatives whose staff are majorly Muslims and of the northern origin harbor some inexplicable hatred for him for daring to criticize the policies and leadership style of president Buhari who they consider as their own.”