Articles by "ICPC"
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| Obanikoro |
The EFCC has again quizzed ex-Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, for allegedly receiving another N450m from the Coordinator of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation in Lagos, Adewale Onilere, during the countdown to the 2015 presidential election.
Operatives disclosed that the N450m was part of the N23bn ($115m) allegedly disbursed to leaders of the PDP in the 36 states of the federation by ex-Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
A source at the EFCC disclosed that Onilere, who is the Chairman of the PDP in the Somolu LGA, received N650m from the campaign organisation out of which N450m was given to Obanikoro.
He said, “Onilere received N650m and then delivered N450m to Obanikoro at his house. Onilere gave Obanikoro the money in the presence of some PDP leaders.
“So, on Wednesday, we invited Obanikoro to tell his side of the story. However, Obanikoro denied receiving any money from Onilere.
“Since Obanikoro is currently on administrative bail, we let him go. However, we have invited him and Onilere to come to our office in two weeks’ time to face each other. Surely, we will get to the bottom of this.”
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| Patience Jonathan |
The immediate wife of the former Nigerian president, Patience Jonathan cries out the EFCC wants to steal her money. Patience (mama peace) accused the EFCC of using mercenaries in court to plead guilty on her behalf, has accused the anti-graft agency of plotting to steal her “hard-earned” money - $15million (about N6.3billion).
Mrs Jonathan has sued EFCC and Skye Bank, laying claims to the money in all the accounts.
The former First Lady alleged that the EFCC presented four unknown people as representatives of the companies, all of who did not show letters authorising them by their respective boards to represent them in the case.
Her aide, Chima Osuji stated: “It is an irony. It was the former First Lady who went to court for the repatriation of her confiscated money when she realised that the EFCC and its co-travellers were playing politics with this issue after she had come out publicly to say that the said money belongs to her and that she has all evidence to prove the sources of her money."
In the charge, EFCC alleged that the accused had between November 13, 2013, and June 2015, used different companies to commit the offences.
The accused were alleged to have conspired to retain over 15 million dollars, which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of crime.
The EFCC had established a prima facie case of money laundering against the ex-First Lady and 10 others. The 11 suspects would face trial for alleged money laundering if the recommendation of the investigative team is upheld.
The EFCC declared that “preliminary investigation has also indicted Mrs. Patience Jonathan.”
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| Patience Jonathan |
Wife of the immediate past Nigerian president, Dame Patience Jonathan, said she was using her $15m, which was frozen in four companies’ accounts, to settle medical bills while she was out of the country.
She, therefore, urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Skye Bank to lift the restriction on the accounts.
Patience said this in a letter with reference number GA/Abibo/00226/2016, written by her lawyers, Granville Abibo (SAN) and Co, which was addressed to the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.
It can be recalled that the four accounts belonged to the following companies: Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Globus Integrated Service Limited.
A houseboy, a driver and other domestic workers of a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to Jonathan, Waripamowei Dudafa, were named as directors, but Patience’s $15m was lodged in the accounts and she was given a platinum card and exclusive access to the accounts.
The letter read in part, “It is noteworthy to emphasise that the said accounts, which were in US dollar denomination, were card-based accounts and our client is the sole signatory to these accounts.
“However, our client has been operating the said accounts using the cards for her medical bill payments and purchases for her private purposes without any let or hindrance.
“Our client was therefore surprised when the said cards stop functioning on July 7, 2016, or thereabout. Our client immediately, thereupon, contacted Skye Bank Plc through our solicitors.
‘‘It was only then that the bank officials informed our client that the said accounts were placed on a ‘No Debit Order’ following investigations and instruction from your commission and this is without notice to our client by either the bank or the commission.
“It is in the light of the foregoing that we urge you to use your good offices to vacate the ‘No Debit/Freezing Order’ placed on the said accounts.”
Patience, who described herself as a law-abiding citizen, said despite all the explanations she offered to the Lagos Zonal Office of the EFCC, the detectives in charge refused to heed her request.
She, therefore, urged Magu to intervene immediately.
She added, “Despite the foregoing, our client, who is a law-abiding citizen, has watched with surprise how efforts are being made surreptitiously to indirectly harass or harangue her and short-change her of her personal funds in breach of her fundamental human rights.
“We urge you sir, to kindly intervene to stop the untoward and wrongful actions of your officials to embarrass, inconvenience and short-change our client.”
However, a detective in the EFCC said, “We got a relevant court order to freeze those accounts and we have evidence which we will present in court on Friday.
“We did not know that the accounts belonged to Patience Jonathan at the time we froze them. The accounts do not bear her name neither do they carry her BVN (Bank Verification Number). So, how can she accuse us of harassment?
“She has a separate account in Skye Bank with the title ‘Patience Jonathan’, which has a balance of $5m. If she claims she needs money for medical treatment, then the $5m should be alright.”
In a thanksgiving service held at the State House chapel in Abuja on February 18, 2013, Patience had said she underwent seven surgical operations within one month in Germany, adding that the doctors had given up hope on her survival.
She had stated, “I remember when Chief Obasanjo was the President of the country, I was close to his late wife, Stella. We worshiped together in this chapel. It was a painful moment for me that time when she (Stella) died and her corpse was brought here.
“That was how my corpse would have been brought here.
‘‘It was not an easy experience for me. I actually died, I passed out for more than a week. My intestine and tummy were opened.
“I am not Lazarus but my experience was similar to his. My doctors said all hope was lost.’’
FG not persecuting Jonathan, Patience –Mohammed
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the Federal Government, under President Muhammadu Buhari, is not persecuting Jonathan and his wife, Patience.
Speaking in an interview with journalists in Oro, Kwara State, on Tuesday, Mohammed said it would be wrong to submit that the Federal Government was probing Jonathan or Patience.
He said, “If you look at the history of Mrs. Patience Jonathan’s issue, I think she was the one that came out to claim that the money found in the accounts of one of the aides to the former President, her husband, belonged to her.
“It was not the EFCC that claimed so. She claimed that the money that the guy was being prosecuted for belonged to her. It was only then they later found an extra $5m in another account.
“It is not as if anybody has gone out to probe Mrs. Jonathan directly or indirectly. Rather Mrs. Jonathan was the one that said ‘that money for which you are accusing Mr. X actually belongs to me. So, you cannot start talking of prosecution or persecution.”
The minister said the Federal Government was concerned about the current national economic recession and had initiated measures to address it.
He stated that the current campaign of the Federal Government, ‘‘Change begins with me,’’ was not only for the people but also for the leaders.
Mohammed also said it was incorrect to accuse Buhari’s government of being partisan, selective and vindictive in its anti-corruption war.
He said Buhari would also not spare any APC member accused or guilty of corruption.
He said, “People have always said that no APC politician had been investigated. The question is ‘those who are those being prosecuted today, for what reasons are they being prosecuted?
“It is wrong to say that the government is only investigating and prosecuting PDP members. We have not even started investigating the oil and gas industry. It is not about going out to investigate PDP. No!
‘‘We lost about 15,000 people. Nobody can, in honesty, accuse the FG of being one sided.’’
Patience must explain her source of wealth, says CACOL
Also, a civil society organisation, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, has said Patience must explain how she came about the funds with which she reportedly built a N10bn hotel in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The hotel, which is known as Aridolf Resort Wellness and Spa, Yenagoa, was inaugurated by Patience in April 2015, barely a month before the end of her husband’s tenure.
But CACOL, which recalled in a statement on Tuesday that Patience was only a Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa State at a time, said the ex-President’s wife must be made to explain the source of her wealth.
The statement by the group’s acting Media Officer, Abiodun Rabiu, quoted the Executive Chairman of CACOL, Debo Adeniran, as saying the EFCC needed no further petition to invite Patience for questioning.
CACOL asked, “How did she (Patience) get the money and even the ones stacked in her accounts? That is what we, Nigerians, want to know. As far as we can understand, she was just a civil servant. So, as a civil servant, how did she manage to acquire such a luxurious property that is worth that amount, because she would have earned less than 10 per cent of the amount even if she had been a Director or Permanent Secretary in the Bayelsa State Civil Service all of the entire years she has spent on earth?”
She, therefore, urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Skye Bank to lift the restriction on the accounts.
Patience said this in a letter with reference number GA/Abibo/00226/2016, written by her lawyers, Granville Abibo (SAN) and Co, which was addressed to the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.
It can be recalled that the four accounts belonged to the following companies: Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Globus Integrated Service Limited.
A houseboy, a driver and other domestic workers of a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to Jonathan, Waripamowei Dudafa, were named as directors, but Patience’s $15m was lodged in the accounts and she was given a platinum card and exclusive access to the accounts.
The letter read in part, “It is noteworthy to emphasise that the said accounts, which were in US dollar denomination, were card-based accounts and our client is the sole signatory to these accounts.
“However, our client has been operating the said accounts using the cards for her medical bill payments and purchases for her private purposes without any let or hindrance.
“Our client was therefore surprised when the said cards stop functioning on July 7, 2016, or thereabout. Our client immediately, thereupon, contacted Skye Bank Plc through our solicitors.
‘‘It was only then that the bank officials informed our client that the said accounts were placed on a ‘No Debit Order’ following investigations and instruction from your commission and this is without notice to our client by either the bank or the commission.
“It is in the light of the foregoing that we urge you to use your good offices to vacate the ‘No Debit/Freezing Order’ placed on the said accounts.”
Patience, who described herself as a law-abiding citizen, said despite all the explanations she offered to the Lagos Zonal Office of the EFCC, the detectives in charge refused to heed her request.
She, therefore, urged Magu to intervene immediately.
She added, “Despite the foregoing, our client, who is a law-abiding citizen, has watched with surprise how efforts are being made surreptitiously to indirectly harass or harangue her and short-change her of her personal funds in breach of her fundamental human rights.
“We urge you sir, to kindly intervene to stop the untoward and wrongful actions of your officials to embarrass, inconvenience and short-change our client.”
However, a detective in the EFCC said, “We got a relevant court order to freeze those accounts and we have evidence which we will present in court on Friday.
“We did not know that the accounts belonged to Patience Jonathan at the time we froze them. The accounts do not bear her name neither do they carry her BVN (Bank Verification Number). So, how can she accuse us of harassment?
“She has a separate account in Skye Bank with the title ‘Patience Jonathan’, which has a balance of $5m. If she claims she needs money for medical treatment, then the $5m should be alright.”
In a thanksgiving service held at the State House chapel in Abuja on February 18, 2013, Patience had said she underwent seven surgical operations within one month in Germany, adding that the doctors had given up hope on her survival.
She had stated, “I remember when Chief Obasanjo was the President of the country, I was close to his late wife, Stella. We worshiped together in this chapel. It was a painful moment for me that time when she (Stella) died and her corpse was brought here.
“That was how my corpse would have been brought here.
‘‘It was not an easy experience for me. I actually died, I passed out for more than a week. My intestine and tummy were opened.
“I am not Lazarus but my experience was similar to his. My doctors said all hope was lost.’’
FG not persecuting Jonathan, Patience –Mohammed
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the Federal Government, under President Muhammadu Buhari, is not persecuting Jonathan and his wife, Patience.
Speaking in an interview with journalists in Oro, Kwara State, on Tuesday, Mohammed said it would be wrong to submit that the Federal Government was probing Jonathan or Patience.
He said, “If you look at the history of Mrs. Patience Jonathan’s issue, I think she was the one that came out to claim that the money found in the accounts of one of the aides to the former President, her husband, belonged to her.
“It was not the EFCC that claimed so. She claimed that the money that the guy was being prosecuted for belonged to her. It was only then they later found an extra $5m in another account.
“It is not as if anybody has gone out to probe Mrs. Jonathan directly or indirectly. Rather Mrs. Jonathan was the one that said ‘that money for which you are accusing Mr. X actually belongs to me. So, you cannot start talking of prosecution or persecution.”
The minister said the Federal Government was concerned about the current national economic recession and had initiated measures to address it.
He stated that the current campaign of the Federal Government, ‘‘Change begins with me,’’ was not only for the people but also for the leaders.
Mohammed also said it was incorrect to accuse Buhari’s government of being partisan, selective and vindictive in its anti-corruption war.
He said Buhari would also not spare any APC member accused or guilty of corruption.
He said, “People have always said that no APC politician had been investigated. The question is ‘those who are those being prosecuted today, for what reasons are they being prosecuted?
“It is wrong to say that the government is only investigating and prosecuting PDP members. We have not even started investigating the oil and gas industry. It is not about going out to investigate PDP. No!
‘‘We lost about 15,000 people. Nobody can, in honesty, accuse the FG of being one sided.’’
Patience must explain her source of wealth, says CACOL
Also, a civil society organisation, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, has said Patience must explain how she came about the funds with which she reportedly built a N10bn hotel in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The hotel, which is known as Aridolf Resort Wellness and Spa, Yenagoa, was inaugurated by Patience in April 2015, barely a month before the end of her husband’s tenure.
But CACOL, which recalled in a statement on Tuesday that Patience was only a Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa State at a time, said the ex-President’s wife must be made to explain the source of her wealth.
The statement by the group’s acting Media Officer, Abiodun Rabiu, quoted the Executive Chairman of CACOL, Debo Adeniran, as saying the EFCC needed no further petition to invite Patience for questioning.
CACOL asked, “How did she (Patience) get the money and even the ones stacked in her accounts? That is what we, Nigerians, want to know. As far as we can understand, she was just a civil servant. So, as a civil servant, how did she manage to acquire such a luxurious property that is worth that amount, because she would have earned less than 10 per cent of the amount even if she had been a Director or Permanent Secretary in the Bayelsa State Civil Service all of the entire years she has spent on earth?”
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| Olu Falae |
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is set to arraign a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, for allegedly receiving N100m from the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation during the 2015 General Elections.
The N100m, which was given to Falae on the instruction of a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, was said to have emanated from the imprest account of the Office of the National Security Adviser in the Central Bank of Nigeria.
A document sighted by our correspondent indicated that the commission would charge the ex-SGF and one-time Minister of Finance with conspiracy to indirectly retain the sum of N100m “which he ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012, and punishable under Section 15(3) and 4 of the same Act.”
Falae had, in a statement in February, admitted collecting the N100m, but said he did not know that the money emanated from the account of ONSA.
A detective at the anti-graft agency toldThe Punch that 78-year-old Falae had been frequenting the EFCC office in Lagos in the last couple of weeks.
“Chief Falae has been reporting to our office every week to answer questions on the N100m he received from the Jonathan campaign organisation. We have told him to refund the money.
“But he said he received the money through Anenih and it was meant for campaign. However, investigations revealed that he deposited N60m into SDP’s account while he kept N40m.
“We told him that he should return the N40m, but he has not been forthcoming. We have no other option but to charge him to court.”
The EFCC had alleged in March that about N3.145bn was mysteriously transferred from the account of ONSA to the account of the Joint Trust Dimensions Limited, a company allegedly owned by the Director of Finance, Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Senator Nenadi Usman.
Usman was said to have transferred N840m to the account of the Director of Publicity of the organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, in Zenith Bank, Maitama branch, with account number, 1004735721, on February 19, 2015.
Falae, who is the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, allegedly received N100m through a company, Marreco Limited, where he is chairman. The fund was credited into the company’s United Bank for Africa Plc account, 1000627022, on March 25, 2014.
According to the document, N320m was also paid into the bank account of the Goodluck Support Group, an association which played a major role in Jonathan’s campaign.
A former Governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa, and a former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Viola Onwuliri, also got N350m in two tranches. The first tranche of N150m was paid into their joint account with Zenith Bank on January 13, 2015. The second tranche of N200m was credited into their account with Diamond Bank.
Usman and Fani-Kayode had been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos and their accounts frozen, while Udenwa is expected to be arraigned this week.
The source at the EFCC told our correspondent that since all the others were facing prosecution, it would only be fair for Falae to be charged.
‘He was detained for hours without food’
A spokesman for Falae, Mr. Alfa Mohammed, said any attempt to prosecute Falae would be nothing but a witch-hunt.
Mohammed, who spoke on the telephone, said Falae had been ill for some time because of the stress of shuttling between Lagos and Ondo due to the EFCC investigation.
He said the former presidential candidate was usually grilled for eight hours without food or water.
He said Falae never used part of the money for his personal benefit, adding that the money was used by the SDP to campaign for Jonathan.
He said, “The PDP wanted us to render a service and they gave us money, which we did by adopting and working for Jonathan. So, what is our business with arms deal?
“We never had contact with Dasuki. If you are given money to cook food for guests at a ceremony and after everyone has eaten, you are informed that the money given to you was stolen from CBN, would you tell all the guests to pay you?
“This is nothing but harassment. They want to distract us from the coming Ondo election which we are set to win. The SDP still owes Chief Falae N70m because we asked him to borrow N170m in anticipation that the PDP would pay, but the party gave us only N100m.
“The N100m came about three days to the election and chief had been spending money before then. He has fallen ill because of the intense interrogation in the EFCC office. The operatives usually grill him for eight hours without food or water. If they are probing party funds, let them start from the APC.”
PUNCH
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has instituted a 17-count charge of $15.6m fraud against a former aide of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa.
The suit was filed before Justice Abdulazeez Anka of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday.
Also listed as defendants in the charge are a legal practitioner, Amajuoyi Briggs, and one Demola Bolodeoku.
The EFCC is seeking to arraign them alongside five companies, namely: Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited; Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited; Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited and Globus Integrated Services Limited.
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| Prof. Olusola Oyewole |
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday quizzed the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, (FUNAAB), Abeokuta, Prof Olusola Oyewole, alongside the Institution Bursar, Moses Ilesanmi following a petition received by the antigraft body from a group known as ‘Concerned Stakeholders of FUNAAB’.
The duo who were then invited for questioning by the anti-graft commission, arrived at the EFCC Zonal Office located at 16, Revd Oyebode Crescent, Iyaganku, GRA, Ibadan at exactly 9:48 am in a two black saloon cars.
Confirming their invitation, the EFCC official face book page, ‘OfficialEFCC’, it reads that the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture,(FUNAAB), Abeokuta, Prof Olusola Oyewole, alongside the Institution Bursar, Moses Ilesanmi were invited for questioning based on allegations of corruption levelled against them. The allegation is based on unbriddled corruption and betrayal of public trust.
“The university officials were told to come along with certified true copies of documents including those of capital projects executed in their tenure.”
While Mr. Oyewole, a Professor of Food Science and Technology, was appointed in 2012, Mr. Ilesanmi was appointed in September 2011 and is scheduled to leave office in a month.
The EFCC is also investigating payments made by the university to the governing council of the institution led by a former senator, Adeseye Ogunlewe.
The invited officials were asked to come with records of all payments made to Mr. Ogunlewe and other members of the governing council since their appointment in 2013.
Mr. Ogunlewe, who represented Lagos State in the Senate, was appointed pro-chancellor of the university by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
An internal sources in the institution further revealed to The Nation that the duo are being investigated for spending over 250 million Naira for allowances in four years in a university that is crying out for lack of funds for the primary mandate of teaching, research and extension services.
The source further said that: “In the same period of four years,the Vice-Chancellor has gotten approvals cumulating to almost N100 million for spurious allowances which run contrary to government directives on payment of salaries, emoluments and allowances for public officers.
“A situation where the university has palatial vice chancellors lodge, yet collects huge allowances running into tens of millions for same. A situation where furniture allowance is to be received only once in the term of the office holder but the Vice Chancellor of FUNAAB collects furniture allowances annually.”
As at the time of filling this report, the duo are still been grilled in the EFCC office and are yet to be released.
A man identified as ThankGod Echem have just been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following the allegation that he collected over 7 million from clients, pretend himself as a lawyer in Port Harcourt
In a statement issued by Mr Wilson Uwujaren, the commission`s Head of Media and Publicity, in Abuja on Monday.
Uwujaren said Echem, who confessed to being a school certificate holder, was arrested following a petition to the EFCC by one of his clients, Mr Jonny Wali.
“Wali alleged that the fake lawyer defrauded him of seven million, being part of the money awarded him by a Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt.
“The money was compensation in a legal battle involving Wali and former Power Holding Company of Nigeria now Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company.
“Wali sued the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company in a matter bordering on land trespass in suit number PHC/468/09 before Justice W.A.Chey Chey of the Rivers State High Court.
“Wali was awarded 10 million naira as compensation,’’ Uwujaren said.
He added that the company, however, failed to pay the compensation to him.
“In seeking payment of the money, Wali employed the legal services of Thankgod Okachi Echem and Felix Agbarake.
“In 2015, the court ruled in his favour and granted him eight million naira as the accumulated interest on the 10 million naira.
“The sum of 18 million naira was consequently paid by the electricity company to him through Echem’s chambers’’, Uwujaren said in the statement.
He said trouble crept into the matter when Echem, who was later found to be a fake lawyer, connived with his colleague and opened an account with a first generation bank.
“The account was opened in Wali`s name without his consent. Seven million naira was paid into it and cashed (withdrawn).
“When Echem was confronted with these facts, he confessed that he was just a school certificate holder posing as a lawyer.
“A search was conducted in his house and yielded some incriminating documents including a wig and robe belonging to ThankGod Okachi Echem,’’ Uwujaren said.
He said Echem and “his professional colleague’’ Agbarake, would be arrainged soon. (NAN)
How did the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) utilise the multi-billion naira it collected from some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for military operations between 2007 and 2015?
This is one of the issues the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is expected to look into as it begins the probe of 56 individuals and organisations, including two former army chiefs – Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika and Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah —and former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki, over N405 billion defence contracts scam.
The MDAs were said to have funded the Nigerian Army procurement through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
A document obtained by The Nation said ONSA collected various sums from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), among others for military operations, but the Defence Headquarters and the Services denied receipt of the money.
The document said: “The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) on 13 May 2013 requested funds for the conduct of Operation BOYONA aimed at dislodging terrorists camps along the common borders with Cameroun, Chad and Niger.
“Consequently, the government released N1,340,000,000. 00 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which were disbursed to DHQ and the Services accordingly.
“In August 2013, ONSA requested and got approval for additional N2,000,000,000.00 for logistics requirements and sustenance of troops, which was credited to ONSA’s account.
“However, DHQ and the Services confirmed non receipt of any additional funds for Operation BOYONA.
“The Committee is of the view that the then NSA, Lt Col MS Dasuki (rtd) should be made to account for the N2,000,000,000.00.
“The Committee also noted that between 3 September 2014 and 30 April 2015,
NIMASA funded accounts of the Joint Task Force Operation Pulo Shield with various
sums totalling N8,542,586,798.58 purportedly to enhance operations of the JTF in the Niger Delta. Neither the need assessment that warranted the release of funds nor the details of the expenditure was made available to the Committee.
“However, analyses of the accounts of the Joint Task Force showed that transfers totalling N6,277,698,885.13 were made to the following companies for yet to be established purposes:
- Jaggan Lt-N1,764,721,724.12
- East Point Integrated Services Ltd-N1,660,514,283.79
- Al Nald Ltd-N804,893,064.22
- Jaggan Trading Company Ltd – N 791,939,812.00
- Paper Warehouse Ltd -N500,315,000.00
- New Building Services -N330,000,000.00
- Jaggan Global Services –N 250,315,000.00
- UVN Global Services Ltd- N 175,000,000.00
Also for probe are 18 serving and retired military officers, a former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, three former permanent secretaries, eight former and serving directors in the Ministry of Defence, and 24 companies.
The investigation follows the recommendation of the Air Vice Marshal (AVM) JON Ode Presidential Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement (CADEP).
The money spent between 2007 and 2015 is N185,8 billion and $685,349,692.49 million
The probe’s outcome will determine who among the short listed 56 persons and companies will be arraigned.
The document added: “In continuation of its assignment, the Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement (CADEP) in the Nigerian Armed Forces analysed procurement contracts awarded by or for the Nigerian Army between 2007 and 2015.
“The Committee so far noted that within the period under review, the sum of N71,775,313,451.30 and $685,349,692.49 was spent on Nigerian Army procurement by the Ministries of Defence, Finance, Foreign Affairs and Environment. Others were the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
“Additionally, some state governments, notably Adamawa, Kano and Yobe, as well as Federal Ministries of Finance and Power, funded Nigerian Army operations with the sum of N114,067,739,113.00.
“The contributions made by other states such as Borno and Plateau, among others were not available as at the time of writing this report.
Those serving and retired military officers under investigation are as follows:
Lt Gen OA Ihejirika (Rtd), former COAS; Lt Gen KTJ Minimah (Rtd), former COAS;
Maj Gen JAH Ewansiha (Rtd)- former CTOP(A); Maj Gen U Buzugbe (Rtd), former COPP(A);
Maj Gen ER Chioba (Rtd), former Director-General DICON; Maj Gen AI Muraina (Rtd) former CAB(A); Maj Gen EJ Atewe, former Commander JTF Op PULO SHIELD; Maj Gen DD Kitchener (Rtd)-
former COLOG; Brig Gen DM Onoyiveta, former COS to COAS; Brig Gen AJS Onibasa, former OMT; Brig Gen M Mamman HQ NAE; Col N Ashinze, former SA – NSA; Col AA Abubagaji former AD Fin; Col AM Inuwa former AD Fin (COPP); Lt Col MS Dasuki (Rtd), former NSA; bLt Col El-Hussaini Boyi (Rtd)-former AD Fin; Sqn Ldr M Oyaduogba – Finance Offr JTF Op PULO SHIELD; and 96NA/43/8364 Cpl Abubakar Usman
The serving and retired public officials are ex- Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Nurudeen Mohammed; Mr Bukar Goni Aji, former Perm Sec (MOD);Mr Haruna Sanusi former Perm Sec (MOD); Mr EO Oyemomi, former Perm Sec (MOD); Mr Abdulrazak Salau, former DJSD MOD; Mr Jonah Ogunniyi Otunla, former DFA MOD; Mrs Josephine N Opara, former DFA MOD; Mr Abdullahi Maikano, former DFA MOD; Mr John Bamidele, former DFA MOD;
Mr Buba M Gamawa; former DJSD MOD; Mr Tajudeen Gbenga Fetuga – former DFA MOD
Alhaji Salisu Shuaibu, former Dir Finance ONSA.
The companies and the Chief Executive Officers involved are Col Olu Bamgbose (Rtd), CEO Bamverde Ltd; Mr Amit Sade, CEO Doiyatec Comms Ltd & DYI Global Services Ltd; Mr Noam Sade, GM Doiyatec Comms & DYI Global Service Ltd; Mr Jimmy Ntuen, CEO Barnes & Tubbies Ltd;
Dr O Ayandele, CEO TS-Y Ltd; Mr Hima Aboubakar, CEO SEI; Alhaji Gujja Attom, CEO Baram International Nig Ltd; and Alhaji Maisudan Bello Mohammed – CEO Dalfam Nig Ltd.
Others are Mr Lawal Oriyomi, CEO 2020 Nig Ltd; Mr Chinedu Onyekwere, CEO Chok Ventures; Mr Eleojo Peters m CEO Clover Nig Ltd; Mr Alon Nelken Samuel, CEO Hadassa Investment Security (Nig) Ltd ; Mr Edward Churchill CEO Westgate Global Trust Ltd;
Capt Rohit Nandal, CEO Hercules Manufacturing (Nig) Ltd; Mr JM Claassens, CEO Conella Services Ltd; Mr Kingsley Onyeabor, EO Phoenix Technology Trading Company;
Mr Donald Peterson,mCEO Richfield Technologies Ltd; Kaja Alexander Onyemachi, CEO Jiangxi 299 Metal & Stones Ltd; Mr Ponnle Abiodun, Berwick Integrated Services Ltd;
CEO Rapiscan System Ltd; CEO Dorema Nigeria Ltd. CEO Progress Ltd;
CEO Koncept Auto Centre Ltd; Mr Kime Egozi.
It was learnt that part of what the EFCC is looking into was how the Nigerian Army procurement was funded by some Ministries, Departments and Agencies ( MDAs) including NIMASA.
A source in the EFCC said last night: “All those recommended for investigation by the panel cannot be said to have committed infractions until we have concluded our assignment.
“Do not forget that some of them are still in either the military or in the public service. We will be fair enough in our investigation without hurting the innocent. One or two officers who appeared before this commission before and were released.
“ Most of the companies and their CEOs are also in business, even beyond our shores. We are conducting this investigation with the fear of God and in line with international best practices.
“This is why we have taken time to study the report and to raise a Special Committee of incorruptible detectives and investigators who will be painstaking.
“You can now appreciate why we have neither invited nor arrested anybody recommended for investigation. We are involved in due diligence. Whoever is not guilty will be free. So, it is too early to say whether or not there is aprima face case against them or not.
“After our preliminary findings, we will then invite those that need to be invited.”
Credit: TheNation
The 206-member Transparency Group in the House of Representatives has told Speaker Yakubu Dogara to resign honourably over his alleged involvement in budget padding or be forced out.
The group also alleged that Dogara diverted 50 per cent of the total capital projects allocated to Bauchi State to his constituency.”
It insisted that Dogara must step aside for independent investigation to be carried out in the allegations of budget padding against him or be forced out of office. Dogara had, on Friday, dismissed calls for his resignation after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, saying there was nothing like padding in the legislature.
In a statement jointly signed on behalf of the Transparency Group by Hon. Bashir Baballe, member representing Ungogo/ Minjibir Federal Constituency of Kano State; Hon. Agunsoye Oluwarotimi Ojo, member representing Kosofe Federal Constituency of Lagos State; and Hon. Abubakar Chika Adamu, member representing Shiroro/Munya/Rafi Federal Constituency of Niger State, the group asked the speaker to resign honourably.
“We hereby reiterate our call on Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara to resign before we start exposing the sleaze and corruption surrounding the internal budget of the House,” the group stated.
The three lawmakers said they released the statement “on behalf of the 206 members of Transparency Group,” although names of the other 203 members of the group were not disclosed.
According to the lawmakers, Dogara should immediately step down for proper investigation or new allegations would be unearthed to ultimately force his hands. Also yesterday, leader of the Transparency Group, Hon. Mohammed Musa Soba (APC, Kaduna), in an interview with New Telegraph, accused Dogara of fraudulently earmarking more than N3 billion for projects sited in his constituency, an action he said bordered on criminality.
“The general public should note that Speaker Dogara made criminal insertions (otherwise known as budget padding) to the tune of over N3 billion to his constituency alone.
“While the entire zonal intervention for the three senatorial districts of Bauchi State and 12 federal constituencies in the state amounts to N1,666,666,666, the Speaker criminally inserted about 200 per cent of the amount, totalling N3,079,000,000 to his constituency alone,” the group said.
It further alleged that Dogara “diverted 50 per cent of the total capital projects allocated to Bauchi State to the tune of N4,781,003,431 out of N9,231,289,842 allocated to the state to his constituency.”
It equally alleged that N950 million purportedly meant for empowerment schemes was also diverted by the speaker. It is, however, contradictory that while the Transparency Group claims to have 206 signatures, the speaker has reportedly garnered 262 signatures bringing the total to 468, whereas the House is composed of 360 members only.
But, Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Abdulrazaq Namdas, in an interview with New Telegraph yesterday in Abuja, said “nobody can force Dogara out of office.”
Namdas hinged his position on the fact that the allegations against Dogara have not been proven before any competent court of law. He also dismissed the 206 lawmakers purported to be members of the Transparency Group calling on Dogara to resign, daring them to remove the speaker if they have the numbers.
Dismissing the 206 signatures allegedly garnered by Transparency Group to impeach Dogara should he refuse to resign, Namdas said: “I believe that even the numbers of lawmakers’ signatures they are alleging that they have generated are not there.
I’m sure they don’t even have the numbers. “Thirdly, if people are talking about transparency and have forgotten that part of transparency is the doctrine of fair hearing, then it is unfortunate.
Transparency also means allowing the other party fair hearing to make his defence. So, if someone has submitted a petition, it is only natural that the person being accused be allowed to also present his own side of the story.
“The good thing about these allegations is that they have been forwarded to the anti-corruption agencies and, therefore, they should allow the agencies to approach the speaker to state his defence instead of asking him to resign.”
Meanwhile, barely four days after the All Progressives Congress (APC) asked him to cease fire, former chairman of the Appropriation Committee,Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, yesterday broke his silence, insisting that the Speaker must reconvene the House immediately.
In a statement issued last night in Abuja, Jibrin alleged that there was plan to kill him and that he has since briefed his lawyers on the matter. “I no longer feel safe. I have carefully followed their desperation to suppress what will go down in history as the biggest corruption case in Nigeria. I have prepared myself for any eventuality. I have spoken to my mum and dad extensively during the weekend. “I have prepared my family.
I have handed over a handwritten note and documents to a popular SAN, a man of integrity and other persons that I believe will lay it bare even if they succeed in killing me,” he said.
He added that the accused “have resorted to using every tactic to narrow the allegations to only issue of padding, which in itself is a grievous offense, ignoring tens of other criminal allegations contained in my petition to the anti-corruption agencies.”
“In doing so, they mischievously expanded the scope of the culpability to give an impression that the entire House, Senate and even the executive arm of government and some individuals outside NASSare on trial,” he noted.
He pleaded with all former Heads of State and the diplomatic community, particularly Ambassador of the United States of America, High Commissioner of the United Kingdom, the German and French Ambassadors to call on Dogara to step aside to allow a thorough external investigation.
Also, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has disagreed with Dogara’s declaration that “budget padding is not a crime under Nigerian law.”
In a statement issued yesterday by its executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, SERAP insisted that: “Budget padding in fact is corruption, as it is implicit in corruption offences such as abuse of office, attempt to embezzle, divert and misappropriate public funds, conspiracy to act corruptly, and illicit enrichment, which are recognised under the UN Convention against Corruption.
“A prima-facie case of corruption is established when elected officials are allegedly influenced to act contrary to their obligations of office by the prospect of financial gain to themselves. Budget padding also amounts to corruption as the action is against the public interest.”
According to Abayomi who has been fighting this oddity since 2002 and has a case in court about it, there is nothing like constituency project since the National Assembly has NO power, whatever, to insert any project in a budget, the Nation reports.
Isn’t it the saying that there is honour even amongst thieves? When was it Nigerians saw anything like this hurricane convulsing the House of Representatives? Apparently, even with all the emphasis on CHANGE during the elections, our legislators never believed that a new Sheriff had hit town.
How would they, with Bukola Saraki riding roughshod, not only over the APC but even insulting the president in the process?
Nor had Dogara a whiff of it either, but he was smarter, and a lot more respectful. So he soft-pedaled and aligned with the party. But collectively, they believed that what Ndume called their internal mechanism – read chop and clean mouth – would still be the order of the day.
So off they went, padding and padding, believing they could make the Buhari budget in their own image and, like in President Jonathan’s days, every machete was out, cutting slices of a budget that they knew was going to be funded through massive external borrowing. But who cares?
So off they went, padding and padding, believing they could make the Buhari budget in their own image and, like in President Jonathan’s days, every machete was out, cutting slices of a budget that they knew was going to be funded through massive external borrowing. But who cares?
If you believe the Dogara side of this roforofo fight, you will have the following: “For reasons that were not noble and not in the Public Interest, Hon Abdulmumin had initially inflated the Budget by adding about N250b more to the total figure as submitted by Mr President. This, the NASS leadership out rightly rejected as a form of financial recklessness and inability to appreciate the dwindling resources available to government necessitating that we act prudently.”
I can hear Nigerians asking these con artists when exactly they started being, not only so people -friendly, but caring and responsible. If they were half as considerate in an economy where so many are hurting, they would long have stopped being amongst the highest paid legislators in the world as I would show below.
Confident that they would successfully pad the Buhari budget, change or no change, since this has been a long running practice in the National Assembly, dating back to the Obasanjo era when that President hauled some of them before the courts, Abdulmumin alleged that the House leadership “fraudulently shortchanged the House by taking away N40 billion out of the N100 billion allocated for constituency projects and distributing same to themselves even without the approval of the House”.
It did not stop there as, according to Jibrin, “10 standing committees of the House inserted over 2000 projects worth N284 Billion”, into a budget President Buhari was agonising over its funding. Rationalising this public odium, however, hear how the Chairman, House Information Committee, Abdulrazak Namdas insulted Nigerians.
According to him “given the workings of the budget process, the House cannot be accused of padding because there is nothing like that.’ In his puerile explanation, this same man, who Tunji Abayomi, a doctorate degree holder in Law recently took through a learning process on budget making on Channels TV, said the following: “Section 4 empowers the National Assembly to make laws for the good governance of the federation while Section 59 confers on the Legislature final say on the budget. “Section 80 (4) on the other hand, which confers on the legislature absolute power of control over public funds, states: “No money shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public fund of the Federation, except in the manner prescribed by the National Assembly”.
And the cheek of it: “The word manner confers absolute legislative discretion. “When, therefore, the National Assembly appropriates funds in the budget, it can never under any circumstances or guise be deemed or regarded as tinkering or padding’. What impudence, what banality, both anchored on a stultifying ignorance!
If this fellow was not such a poor student, he should not have forgotten the most elementary of what Dr Abayomi taught him: simply, that Budget making is an EXECUTIVE function and that it is the ONLY subject about which the Nigerian constitution specifically specifies the modus. According to Abayomi who has been fighting this oddity since 2002 and has a case in court about it, there is nothing like constituency project since the National Assembly has NO power, whatever, to insert any project in a budget.
If this fellow was not such a poor student, he should not have forgotten the most elementary of what Dr Abayomi taught him: simply, that Budget making is an EXECUTIVE function and that it is the ONLY subject about which the Nigerian constitution specifically specifies the modus. According to Abayomi who has been fighting this oddity since 2002 and has a case in court about it, there is nothing like constituency project since the National Assembly has NO power, whatever, to insert any project in a budget.
Therefore, the only way legislators can help constituencies is by lobbying the Executive branch to have projects inserted in the budget. To do otherwise, I hope they now know, is to sleep walk to jail.
A stitch in time...
A stitch in time...
Source: Olufamous.com
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