A former Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mr Babatunde Fowler, is currently in the custody of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Lagos responding to questions on alleged diversion of funds.

Fowler, who was also Chairman of Lagos Inland Revenue Service, is responding to questions over his links to a firm which helps Lagos State to reconcile taxes for a fee of 10 per cent monthly.

A source at EFCC said Fowler was being questioned for the revenue shortfall of FIRS which led to his disagreement with the late Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Abba Kyari, and his inability to secure a renewal of his tenure last year.

The EFCC source said, “Fowler has many questions to answer. He is being probed over the Alpha Beta matter and he is giving us information on how the company works. However, he will also be interrogated over his tenure in FIRS.

“You will recall that Abba Kyari had complained about revenue shortfall at FIRS. A director at the FIRS had also written a petition against Fowler. We have also received documents from the current management of FIRS which probed Fowler and found him wanting.

“It is a very long investigation and in the next two to three weeks, we will be inviting other people.”

A spokesman for EFCC, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, told our correspondent that Fowler honoured an invitation of the commission.

He said, “He is currently in our Lagos office after honouring an invitation.”

He added that the investigation centred on many things and it was too soon to divulge details.

Punch