In apparent attempt to mock Reuben Abati, a man, Ettu Mohammed, on Sunday opened a fundraising campaign on Gofundme.com on his behalf.
The man asked Nigerians to “please save Reuben Abati from EFCC.”
He said the former presidential spokesperson was influenced by “Aso Rock evil spirits” to collect N50 million from former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
Mr. Abati, former spokesperson to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, was arrested by EFCC operatives on Monday over allegations he illicitly received N50 million from the former NSA.
Although Mr. Abati was offered administrative bail that requires presenting a senior federal civil servant – preferably a director – with landed properties in Abuja, EFCC sources said he had been unable to meet the bail conditions.
EFCC has asked various persons involved in illicit financial flow with the former NSA to refund what they collected. Sources at the commission told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr. Abati admitted in his statement that he received the money but said he spent in on media relations and would not return same.
“Reuben Abati the spokesman of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan is under lock and key for voluntarily collecting the sum of 50m Ngn from Sambo Dasuki,” Mr. Mohammed, a staunch supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari wrote on Gofundme.com, an online fundraising platform.
“We believe he must have been under the influence of Aso Rock evil spirit,” he added, asking for $108,000 in donations to Mr. Abati who recently wrote an article narrating how the Aso Rock was pervaded by evil spirits.
When operatives questioned him about how he spent the funds, Mr. Abati reportedly said he disbursed it to media practitioners in his capacity as the spokesman for the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
But he said he did not keep records of the disbursement when queried for evidence.
“We are begging Nigerians to save Reuben Abati from detention, Mr. Mohammed later told PREMIUM TIMES on phone.
“Two weeks ago, he said there were evil spirits in Aso Rock but he was running around for Goodluck Jonathan to return so that he could continue working on the same place infested by evil spirits.”
But over 12 hours, after the campaign was opened, nobody has donated.
“Nigerians are angry,” Mr. Mohammed, an electrical engineer, said, explaining reason why no one had donated.
He asked Mr. Buhari to “simultaneously build infrastructure and institutions for operations and maintenance”.