The Nation Newspaper

Tag: alleged

Alleged $1m fraud: Businessman petitions Buhari over police handling of case

• ‘Officer handling case transferred for rejecting bribe from suspects’

Businessman, Austin Ugochukwu Albert, has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari over alleged poor handling of a $1million ( N360 million) fraud case he lodged with the Police.

He said he paid N360 million in exchange for $1million, which he never got.

He said he was suspecting compromise, abuse of office and corrupt activities by some officers assigned to investigate how he was swindled of the $1million.

He blamed some officers in the Inspector-General of Police monitoring unit of compromise.

He alleged that he suspected a corrupt deal of about $200,000 to frustrate his complaint to the police.

He said the officer handling his case was transferred in a suspicious manner at the prompting of one of the influential suspects, who defrauded him.

He said he could not understand why the officer was redeployed midway into a crucial investigation in which he had recovered $205,000.

In a petition through his counsel, Ugochukwu Ezekiel, he urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to return his case to the Force Intelligence Unit instead of the Monitoring Unit.

He said he paid N360 million with intent to source for $1million for his business.

But after successfully remitting the N360 million, a group of five suspects involved in the transaction refused to give him the $1million.

He said: “Our client first reported the matter at Area J Command of the Nigeria Police Force, Ajah, Lagos State, where the suspects made confessional statements that the entire transaction was a fraud but at this point they all refused to give up their kingpin; Bakare.

“The matter was later transferred to Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos on the orders of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, who equally ordered that all accounts already frozen by the Police pursuant to their investigation activities be unfrozen. Our client was dissatisfied and wrote a petition to the Inspector General of Police.

“Unfortunately, the officers that investigated the matter at Inspector General of Police monitoring unit compromised the matter, refused to arrest the kingpin, who had been identified as Bakare.

“They hurriedly charged the matter to a Magistrate Court in Abuja, which to their knowledge, has no jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

“The suspects were subsequently set free on ridiculous bail conditions and this emboldened them as they called our client and demanded that our client should not pursue the matter anymore or he would be eliminated.

“To forestall the materialisation of their threat, our client wrote a fresh petition to the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department and the matter was assigned to the Force Intelligence Bureau for investigation.

“On learning of the embarrassing situation, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Inspector General of Police monitoring unit quickly transferred the case file to the Force Intelligence Bureau for a review and unbiased investigation..

“Our client must confess that the Force Intelligence Bureau acted professionally and intelligently and within weeks rounded up the suspects and obtained an order from the Federal High Court to have them detained pending investigation.

“We are aware that the head of Force Intelligence Bureau was offered some huge amount of money as bribe and he turned it down.

“To our client’s utter consternation, our client got information that Bakare was boasting while still in detention that he has offered the money that was rejected by men of Force Intelligence Bureau to some officers in the Monitoring Unit and that the case will not only be taken away from that department but the head of that unit, who he described as very strict, will be removed.

“Our client treated this as the joke of the century and moved on. However, less than 24 hours after our client got the information, the Inspector General of Police sent a signal that the case file be transferred to another unit and that the officer be immediately transferred.”

The businessman urged the President to use his “good offices to ensure that the case is returned to the Force Intelligence Unit and the honest officer unduly removed be reinstated to that unit”.

September 18, 2017
EFCC arrests Gombe SEMA Secretary, others over alleged IDP materials diversion

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Secretary, Dr Danlami Rukuje over alleged diversion of materials meant for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

The arrest was disclosed on the commission’s website.

Rukuje was arrested following a tip-off received by the Intelligence and Special Operations Section (ISOS) of the commission.

The arrest was carried out by the EFCC officials at the Gombe Zonal Office on Wednesday.

“The materials, which include cans of paints and bags of cement meant as building materials donated to the state by the Presidential Committee on the North-East Initiatives (PCNI) never made it to the IDP camps.

“Investigations revealed that they were, instead, diverted to other areas including markets for sale.

“A team of operatives acting on the information, immediately swung into action and located shops where the materials were being sold.

“The Gombe State Fertiliser Grinding Plant, where some of the materials were kept, was also raided.

“A storekeeper at the state’s Emergency Agency, Isa Garba, was subsequently arrested.

“Further investigations led to the arrest of a staff of the state’s Fertiliser Grinding Plant, Mu’azu Suleman.

“The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” the commission said.

September 17, 2017
Ex-convicts held for alleged robbery

Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives have arrested two persons for allegedly robbing a motorist in Mile 2.

Sunday Chukwunweike, 26 and Emmanuel Friday, 28 were arrested after a four-man gang robbed a driver Yinusa Salami, whose truck broke down in Mile 2.

The gang was said to have robbed Salami of N45,000 cash and his mobile phone.

Salami, RRS said, reported the case to RRS men on Mile 2 Bridge.

“Our men actually saw them but thought they were together unknowing that those guys were robbing him. It was few minutes after they had left that the driver approached the operatives. The suspected robbers were traced and two of them were arrested,” RRS said in a statement yesterday.

The operatives quoted Emmanuel as saying: “I was in the company of my friends when we saw the driver. He was coming from Apapa. He stopped on the bridge to pick somebody. It was the elderly ones among us that robbed him. I thought they were going to drop some money for us to eat when we approached him. It was Silas and Sule that took the money and the phone and we went our way. They later told us that it was N40,000 they took in his pocket. They gave my colleague and I N10,000 to share. We went back to our usual joint before the truck driver led police to arrest us.

“I have been to the prison twice, one in 2013 where I spent seven months in jail and also in 2016 where I bagged three months after engaging in street fighting.”

Chukwunweike said: “I came back from prison after spending three months but here I am again in another mess”.

Salami said he stopped on the bridge to pick his brother.

He said: “I was coming from Apapa and heading to Osun. I wanted to assist my brother who was equally going to Osun State. I got to the bridge and I alighted from the truck that was when I saw four of them.

“I was about giving them some money when they seized my arms, before dragging me to the ground and forcefully collected all the money in my pocket N45,000 claiming they control the area and nothing can happen afterwards.

I reported to the police and they followed me to track the boys. That was when we saw the two of them trying to split their own share of the money. They were arrested there but the other two guys escaped.”

The suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department.

July 10, 2017
INEC probes 80 for alleged bribery

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has started probing 70 employees who were referred to it by INEC.

The 70 employees from three states had denied benefitting from the N23.29b poll bribery scandal.

A source in EFCC said: “We are already looking into the alleged misconduct of the 70 employees. Despite the fact that most of them were implicated in the scandal, they have denied the allegation.

“Our detectives are working round the clock to get more evidence to present to INEC. These 70 employees have to be suspended by INEC before we can prosecute them. The electoral commission has asked for concrete evidence.

About 205 INEC employees have been slated for trial over the poll bribery scam.

Some of the indicted INEC staff had made refunds of their share of the over N3.4 billion bribe money.

June 5, 2017
Alleged N9.79b fraud: Court rejects request for bench warrant on Suswam

•Judge warns ex-governor against absence

A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday rejected a request to issue a bench warrant on former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam.

Justice Gabrial Kolawole, however, warned Suswam not to push the court to a state where it will compel him to attend court.

The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) on March 27, filed a 32-count charge against Suswam and two others, accusing them of diverting N9,791,602,453.8, part of which was meant for police reform and the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

The others are the Finance Commissioner during Suswam’s tenure, Omadachi Oklobia and former Accountant, Benue State Government House Administration, Mrs. Janet Aluga.

They were to be arraigned on the new charge on April 11, but for the absence of Suswam, who was in the custody of the Department for State Services (DSS).

The development prompted Justice Kolawole to order the DSS to produce him (Suswam), and adjourned to yesterday.

The DSS released Suswam on May 7. He was in court on Wednesday when his lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN) withdrew the N10 billion rights’ enforcement suit he filed against the DSS, which Justice Kolawole struck out.

But yesterday, Suswam was not in court. Oklobia and Mrs. Aluga were present. The ex-governor’s lawyer, Miss C.E Ogbuozor, said Suswam was admitted in hospital for hypertension-related ailment, which allegedly arose due to his prolonged stay in the DSS custody.

She said: “After his release from the custody of the SSS (DSS), he met with us, his lawyers and explained to us that, owing to his detention, he has been unable to keep up with his medical checks or take his medication for a hypertensive medical condition, which he had.

“Having stayed in detention for over 70 days, he proceeded to see his doctors, who after due examination, advised that he be placed on bed rest and subject to his doctor’s observation.

“We have also been issued with a report, which we have furnished the prosecution this morning. Out of respect for this court, the lead counsel, Mr. J.B Daudu (SAN), had to bring the first defendant to court yesterday (Wednesday) for his civil matter.

“Today, we made effort to secure his attendance in court this morning, but unfortunately, his doctors would not oblige us.

“In view of the foregoing, we sincerely crave the indulgence of the court for an adjournment to enable the first defendant to attend his trial to take his plea and to also prepare on the appropriate plea on each of the 32 counts, which we confirmed were duly served on him personally on May 8, 2017 following the orders of this court,” she said.

Prosecuting lawyer Aminu Alilu said he was not served with any medical report from the defence.

He said: “His (Suswam) presence in court yesterday showed that the condition is not as complicated as the counsel presented it.

“We urge your lordship to invoking Section 131 of the Administration of Criminal Justice (ACJ) Act, by which my Lord is empowered to issue a warrant of arrest on the first defendant, and we so pray.

“But, we are not opposed to the adjournment since the arraignment cannot go on today in the absence of the first defendant,” Alilu said.

Lawyers to other defendants, F.R. Onoja (for Oklobia) and Innocent Da’agba (for Aluga) agreed with Miss Ogbuozor and prayed the court not to grant Alilu’s request for a bench warrant on Suswam.

When a copy of Suswam’s medical report was shown to him, Alilu faulted the document, insisting that the situation requires that a warrant of arrest be issued on the defendant.

Alilu said: “I just saw the medical report tendered by the first defendant. They said the report was from a private hospital and there ought to be an affidavit by the doctor, who signed it, informing this honourable court, on oath, the ailment of the first defendant stated on the medical report.”

Justice Kolawole observed that Suswam attended court the previous day.

The judge, however, faulted Alilu’s argument, noting that he did not support with any judicial authority his argument that a medical report issued by a private hospital, as against a government hospital, must be backed with a supporting affidavit deposed to by the doctor, who signed it.

Justice Kolawole said Alilu’s argument would not prevent the court from accepting the medical report, dated May 10.

The judge warned Suswam against being absent in subsequent proceedings, and adjourned till June 19 for arraignment.

May 12, 2017
Alleged removal plot: Fayose free to entertain himself, says Fayemi

•Governor’s aide: you are living in fool’s paradise

Former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has said his successor, Ayo Fayose, is running a comedy show following the allegation that he (Fayemi) is plotting to use the judiciary to unseat him.

Fayemi, who is minister of Mines and Steel Development, said he was not prepared to respond to the antics of Fayose, saying he would not allow his personality to be dragged into the mud.

The former governor spoke at the weekend in a chat with reporters in Ado-Ekiti when he visited the family of his late deputy, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, on her father’s death, Chief Festus Obafemi Famuagun.

The minister was accompanied by his wife, Erelu Bisi, his former deputy, who has just been appointed chairman, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Dupe Adelabu, some All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains and aides.

Fayose last week accused Fayemi of enlisting some Supreme Court judges in a plot to reverse the June 21, 2014 governorship election.

Fayemi said he would not want to dignify Fayose with any reply, adding that he will not stop the governor from entertaining the world with his comedy.

He said: “I have told you severally that I won’t discuss the present Government of Ekiti State on any issue. And on this issue, I won’t dignify him with a response.

“This is a free world, as you know anybody can propagate any giddy or ideal as he deems fit. I don’t belong to the mud and I don’t want to be dragged into the mud.

“He is free to say whatever he likes and just let him continue to entertain the people or himself.

“You know that I would never join issues with Governor Fayose. He is entitled to his opinion and he is free to entertain himself. So, let him continue to entertain himself. At the appropriate time, he would meet his comeuppance.

“I don’t belong in the mud. So, he cannot drag me to the mud. Truth is always constant and I know posterity is there to judge.”

Speaking on the life and times of Pa Famuagun, Fayemi said his death was a personal loss to him, describing him as a close confidant. He said the deceased’s wise counsel and candor would be missed.

Fayemi added: “Pa Famuagun was not just a father, he was a confidant. We thank God for his life because he served God and humanity. Even at old age, he kept on sending messages to me and asking after everybody.

“His death to me was like losing a loved one. But we will emulate his good virtues and this I believe was the best we can do to honour him.”

But the Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to

Fayose, Mr. Lere Olayinka, said Fayemi never won any election in Ekiti and that he is only a democrat by court appointment.

He said: “He will continue to live in the fool’s paradise concerning his scandalous defeat in the June 21, 2014 governorship election.”

Olayinka, who was reacting to Fayemi’s statement on Saturday that “at the appropriate time, he (Governor Fayose) would meet his comeuppance (punishment),” described Fayemi as a “serial betrayal of confidence whose political future will remain bleak, having betrayed his number one political benefactor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.”

“If there is anyone that deserves to meet both physical and divine punishment, that person is Kayode Fayemi, who plunged Ekiti State intodebt by stealing the state blind and betrayed someone like Asiwaju Tinubu, who made him governor,” Olayinka said.

He added: “Since Fayemi has never won any election in Ekiti and he became governor through judicial manipulation, he can never appreciate democracy. Even the primary election that gave him the Action Congress (AC) governorship ticket in 2006 was manipulated in his favour.”

The governor’s spokesperson, who challenged Fayemi to file his case at the Supreme Court, said: “We will meet him there and surely, he will be defeated as usual.”

April 10, 2017
Alleged N4bn contract scam: It’s all vendetta, says Senator

The Senator representing Delta North, Peter Nwaoboshi, yesterday accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of waging a war of vendetta against him over the claim of the anti-graft agency that he failed to execute a N4 billion contract awarded to his firm.

Senator Nwaoboshi was reacting to reports that a senator is a subject of a massive investigation for not executing N4 billion contract awarded to him by the Government of Delta State.

The reports further said that the EFCC was also looking into the lawmaker’s 20 accounts in six banks with different signatures.

It was also reported the senator allegedly used a firm to purchase a 12-storey building in Apapa, Lagos belonging to the Delta State Government at the cost of N805 million.

It was reported that the records at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) showed that the senator failed to declare all the companies and bank accounts despite being operational prior to the time he made the declaration.

A source said that the investigation of the senator followed a petition from Delta State.

The petitioner, the report said, alleged that the senator owns a firm which was awarded a N1,580,000,000 contract by the Direct Labour Agency to supply construction equipment.

The petitioner also claimed that the senator through his firm allegedly secured contracts from nine local governments areas in Delta State when the firm was yet to be registered under the Company and Allied Matters Act.

The petitioner was said to have alleged that the senator used proceeds from the contract to acquire several choice property in Lagos and Delta states, one of which is the 12-storey building in Apapa, Lagos.

But Senator Nwaoboshi told reporters in Abuja that the claims of the EFCC were all lies aimed tarnishing his image.

The lawmaker said that there was no fraud in the execution of a N2.1billion contract awarded his company, Biderberg Enterprises Limited, by the Delta State Government in 2010.

Nwaoboshi, who is chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDCC), also refuted the claim that he fraudulently acquired a12-storey building belonging to Delta State in Apapa, Lagos in collaboration with his younger brother, Augustine Nwaoboshi.

He insisted that the whole allegations bordered on vendetta against him by the EFCC based on his recent position and the position of the Senate on the confirmation of the Acting Chairman of the EFCC,, Ibrahim Magu.

Nwaoboshi said: “Why is the EFCC coming up against me now over contracts diligently and transparently executed seven years ago by my company, if not for misplaced vendetta that cannot in any way silence me or compromise my principled stance over some salient national issues before the Senate .

”Delta State government that awarded the contract is not complaining or any notable stakeholders in the state.

”So what interest is the EFCC serving over the matter when nobody from the state had raised any issue bordering on corruption as far as the contract is concerned or the 12-storey building bought in Lagos by one of my companies which was not undervalued as being alleged .

”Even the other issue reportedly raised by the EFCC as regards multiple bank accounts by my brother is ridiculous because there is no law in the land that limits the number of bank accounts any individual in the society should have.”.

The visibly angry senator noted that the signatory to such multiple bank accounts allegedly owned by his junior brother was not his, as being alleged by the EFCC.

He wondered why “the EFCC rushed to the press to spread falsehood against him without any need to interface with me and my brother as practised worldwide as far as investigation is concerned.

He said: “No doubt, with what I’ve read in the papers against me from the EFCC, Magu is at it again, but unfortunately for him, this cannot silence me to back out of the Senate’s collective decision against his confirmation and let me add that as a lawyer of 27 years, Magu and his cohorts shall definitely meet me in court”.

April 1, 2017
Alleged N1.4b fraud: Fed Govt files charges against Peace Corps’ boss Akor

THE Federal Government has filed a 90-count charge against the leader of a group, Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), Dickson Akor and its Incorporated Trustees for sundry offences.

The offences include alleged money laundering and obtaining under false pretence.

The charge was filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja on March 17 by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

Akor and the group’s Incorporated Trustees are charged with money laundering involving about N1.4 billion.

Akor and some 46 members of his group were recently arrested and paraded by the police in Abuja on allegations they were operating illegally.

The charge, it was learnt yesterday, was assigned to Justice Gabriel Kolawole, who is hearing the fundamental rights enforcement suit by Akor and some members of his group against the police.

In count 1 to 32, Akor and PCN’s Incorporated Trustees are accused of converting money derived directly from extortion, contrary to Section 15(1)(a)(ii) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

They are, in Count 33 to 42, accused of transferring money derived directly from extortion contrary to Section 15(1)(a)(ii) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

In Count 43 to 75, they were accused of “obtaining money by false pretence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud related offences Act, Cap A6 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under the same section of the Act”.

They were in Count 76 to 85 accused of “laundering of funds obtained through unlawful activity contrary to Section 7(1) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud related offences Act, Cap A6 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under the same section of the Act”.

The defendants are, in count 86, accused of “organising and training of members of Peace Corps of Nigeria as quasi-military organisation contrary to Section 6(1)(a) of the Public Order Act, P42 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under the same section of the Act”.

In Count 87, the defendants are accused of violating “provisions relating to wearing of uniforms contrary to Section 7(4)(a) of the Public Order Act, P42 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under the same section of the Act”.

They are, in Count 88, charged with “unauthorised display of flags contrary to Section 7(4)(b) of the Public Order Act, P42 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under the same section of the Act”.

In Count 89, they are charged with “operating as private guard without licence contrary to Section 1(1) of the Private Guard Companies Act, Cap P30 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 32(1) of the Act.

Akor and PCN’s Incorporated Trustees are, in Count 90, charged with “unauthorised wearing of uniforms and other identification marks contrary to Section 24(1) of the Private Guard Companies Act, Cap P30 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 32(1) of the Act”.

March 16, 2017
Alleged $801m bribe: Shell, Etete, Adoke face charges
EFCC set for trial of ex-ministers, businessman, others over Malabu Oil deal

All is set for the legal battle over the alleged $801million Malabu oil deal bribe.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday filed charges against a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Chief Dan Etete, a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Bello Adoke (SAN) and a businessman, Aliyu Abubakar.

Also charged are eight others.

The others are: Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited; Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited; ENI SPA; Malabu Oil and Gas Limited; Ralph Wetzels (ex- director of SNEPCO), Casula Roberto (Italian) and director of AGIP; Pujatti Stefeno(Italian) and director in AGIP; and Burafato Sebastiano (Italian).

A United Kingdom (UK) anti-corruption group, Global Witness, claimed that $523million of the bribe was paid to some fronts of a former president.

The charge sheet, dated February 28, states that all the accused persons will be arraigned before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Division.

No date has been fixed for their arraignment.

All the 11 suspects will face three charges bordering on alleged official corruption of about $801million.

According to the charges filed by the EFCC legal team, comprising Johnson Ojogbane, H.M. Mohammed and Victor Ukagwu, all the accused persons are to face trial for alleged:
- conspiracy, contrary to Section 26 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 12 of the same Act; and
- official corruption contrary to Section 9 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 9 (b) of the same Act.
The particulars of the offence are as follows:

“That you Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited, Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited, ENI SPA, Ralph Wetzels (whilst being director of SNEPCO), Casula Roberto (Italian) whilst being the director of AGIP; Pujatti Stefeno (Italian) while being the director in AGIP; Burafato Sebastiano(Italian), while being a Director with AGIP; Douzia Louya Etete(a.k.a Dan Etete); Mohammed Bello Adoke; Aliyu Abubakar and Malabu Oil and Gas Limited sometime in 2011 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: Official corruption and thereby committed an offence.

“That you Douzia Louya Etete(a.k.a Dan Etete), Mohammed Bello Adoke; Aliyu Abubakar and Malabu Oil and Gas Limited sometime in 2011 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court corruptly received the aggregate sum of $801million in relation to the grant of Oil Prospecting Licence in respect of OPL 245 from Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company, Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited and ENI SPA and thereby committed an offence.

“That you Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited, Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited, ENI SPA, Ralph Wetzels(whilst being Director of SNEPCO), Casula Roberto(Italian) whilst being the Director of AGIP; Pujatti Stefeno(Italian) while beinmg the Director in AGIP; Burafato Sebastiano(Italian), while being a Director with AGIP; Douzia Louya Etete(a.k.a Dan Etete); Mohammed Bello Adoke; Aliyu Abubakar and Malabu Oil and Gas Limited sometime in 2011 within the jurisdiction of this court corruptly gave the aggregate sum of $801million to Douzia Louya Etete(a.k.a Dan Etete) , Mohammed Bello Adoke; Aliyu Abubakar and Malabu Oil and Gas Limited on account of the grant of Oil Prospecting Licence in respect of OPL 245 and thereby committed an offence.”

This is the second time some of the accused persons will be facing trial.

The EFCC on December 20, 2016 filed nine charges bordering on alleged mismanagement of $1,616,690,656.78 Malabu Oil cash against Adoke, Etete, Abubakar, Malabu Oil and Gas Limited; Rocky Top Resources Limited; Imperial Union Limited; Novel Properties and Development Company Limited, Group Construction Limited and Megatech Engineering Limited.

The nine-count charge was filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The charges came barely 48 hours after ENI SPA insisted that the sale of OPL 245(Malabu Oil Block) was not fraudulent.

The Board of Directors of Eni(Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited) claimed that all transactions relating to the $1,616,690,656.78 Malabu oil block were clean.

The oil firm said it arrived at the conclusion after commissioning forensic investigations into the controversy over the sale of the oil block.

It said an independent United States law firm conducted the investigations and returned a not guilty verdict.

The statement said: “Eni’s Board of Directors today takes note of the outcome of further forensic investigations into the 2011 transaction between Eni and Shell and the Nigerian Government for the acquisition of the OPL 245 licence in Nigeria.

The investigations were conducted by an independent US law firm. They were commissioned by Eni’s Board of Statutory Auditors and Watch Structure.

“The investigations examined the new materials and further information filed by the Milan prosecutors as part of the closure of the investigation in December 2016.

“The law firm confirms the conclusions reached by previous investigations in 2015, stating that there is no evidence of corrupt conduct in relation to the transaction.

Eni’s Board of Directors confirmed its total confidence that neither the company nor its CEO Claudio Descalzi were involved in alleged illicit conduct under investigation.”

Global Witness had alleged that about $523million of the $1.1billion paid by Shell and Eni for Malabu Oil Block (OPL 245) went to some fronts of a former president.

It said the deal deprived the country of a sum equivalent to 80% of its 2015 health budget in a country where more than 60% of the population live in poverty.

The group made the disclosures in a statement by its Director, Simon Taylor.

It also wrote a letter to the EFCC not to waiver in its determination to probe the sale of the oil block.

The statement said: “We applaud the Nigerian authorities for fighting back against corruption without fear or favour, making sure there are real consequences for taking part in shady deals like with OPL 245.”

“The lucrative OPL 245 oil block was allocated in 1998 for $20m – a fraction of its value now – to Malabu Oil & Gas, a company secretly owned by the then oil Minister, Etete.

“The OPL 245 block, off the coast of Nigeria is owned 50-50 by Shell and Eni and contains probable reserves of 9.23 billion barrels of oil, representing potentially massive bookable reserves for the companies.

“Shell currently holds 11.75 billion barrels of proven oil equivalent reserves and Eni holds 6.89 billion barrels of proven oil equivalent reserves.

“The block was eventually passed on to Shell and Eni in 2011 in exchange for a payment of $1.1bn which flowed to Malabu rather than to the Nigerian state.

“The former Minister of Justice Adoke by his own account acted as a broker in the deal. This deal deprived the country of a sum equivalent to 80% of its 2015 health budget in a country where more than 60% of the population live in poverty.

”Shell and Eni have always denied that they knew the money they paid would go to Malabu, but documents seen by Global Witness show that the companies in fact constructed the deal knowing that the money would flow ultimately to Malabu.

“Prosecutors in the UK have previously alleged that $523m of Shell and Eni’s payment went to alleged “fronts for former President of Nigeria (names withheld) as part of a deal that was effectively a “smash and grab” on Nigeria.

In a separate letter, the group praised the Acting EFCC chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu for the “sterling investigatory work” by the commission on the Malabu oil deal.

The letter said Global witness was “ delighted to read press reports that former Attorney-General Mohammed Bello Adoke, Chief Etete and others have been implicated by the EFCC for fraud and money laundering in respect of the OPL 245 oil deal.

The letter added: “We would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our admiration for the sterling investigatory work by the EFCC, under your leadership, that has brought this case to court.

“We believe that the case will send a powerful message to the world that Nigeria is intent on prosecuting corruption without fear or favour.”

The anti-corruption group however noted the reactions of some key actors in the Settlement Agreement on the oil block.

It added: “In a statement, Mohammed Adoke said ‘I hope to at the appropriate time make myself available to defend the charge for what whatever its worth.’ He also emphasised that he did not benefit from the deal, which he said saved the government from a breach of contract suit in which Shell was claiming $2 billion.

“He called the charges “orchestrated plans to bring me to public disrepute in order to satisfy the whims and caprices of some powerful interests on revenge mission.”

“Shell has insisted that they did not pay Malabu directly and that all payments went to an escrow account held by the Government of Nigeria.

“In a response to a request for comment from Global Witness in April 2015, Shell said “We do not agree with the premise behind various public statements made by Global Witness about Shell companies in relation to OPL 245.” It has not responded to more recent requests to comment.

Eni responded to questions on the deal in May 2016 saying “Independent enquiries and the investigations commissioned by Eni’s Watch Structure and Board of Statutory Auditors from specialized American law firms have found no evidence of illegal conduct on the part of the Company.”

“Antonio Tricarico of Re:Common said “The Italian Government must ask serious questions of the involvement of Senior Eni executives in a deal that has now lead to senior Nigerian officials being charged with criminal offences.”
March 3, 2017
Alleged N190m fraud: Ex-Head of Service Oronsaye knows fate May 4

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, has adjourned till May 4, ruling on the no-case submission by former Head of Service of the Federation Steve Oronsaye.

The judge, Olasumbo Goodluck, adjourned the case after listening to submissions by counsel in the matter.

Oronsaye, who chaired, Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force set up by former President Goodluck Jonathan, was arraigned for breach of trust and diversion of the committee’s N190 million.

The prosecution called six witnesses to prove its case and closed its argument on November 15.

On December 9, the defence filed a no-case submission on the grounds that the prosecution had no case against the defendant.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, the defence counsel, Kanu Agabi, argued that there were omissions of essential elements in the charges against his client.

He said on that account, the charges were imperfect.

Agabi said the charge was initially two counts, later amended to seven, explaining it was a sign something was wrong with the charge from the beginning.

He said the prosecution failed to specify the amount entrusted to the defendant, nor the mandate of the committee the defendant chaired.

Agabi said the prosecution did not prove the offence to warrant the defendant to enter defence. He, therefore, urged the court to grant his no-case submission.

But the prosecuting counsel, Offem Uket, told the court the prosecution proved its case.

Uket said it was not right to bring up the issue of imperfection of charges now, as it was against sections 220 and 221 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, (ACJA) 2015.

He said there was a prima facie case against the defendant and urged the court to dismiss the no-case submission.

March 2, 2017