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Tag: Detectives

  • $3m probe: Fresh anxiety as detectives screen CJN’s account

    Detectives probing the finances of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, have turned their searchlight on his salary account, it was gathered yesterday.

    And they may have unearthed evidence that the salary account laid untouched in the bank for 18 months at a stretch.

    The development has sparked fresh anxiety on the fate of the CJN.

    The Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN), reviewing the Onnoghen issue at a meeting in Lagos yesterday, urged caution in federal government’s handling of the matter.

    Preliminary findings by the detectives showed that the salary account has a turnover of N91,962.362.49.

    No single withdrawal was made from it between March 2015 and October 2016.

    A source familiar with the probe said: “He did not spend from the salary account from March 2015 to October 2016. The salary and allowances accumulated to N22, 520, 636.27 in October 2016 from N6, 132, 885.24 in March of 2015.”

    A document on the probe  said: “Naira Account (Salary Account):

    • The balance as at October 10, 2016 was N22,510,636.27;
    • (b)The turnover in the account from September, 2005 to October, 2016 was N91,962.362.49;
    • (c) His salary in 2005 was N240,202.20 and it rose to N751,082.37 in February 2008. The salary remains within this range till date;

    ” He did not spend from the salary account from March 2015 to October 2016. The salary and allowances accumulated to N22,520,636.27 in October 2016 from N6,132 885.24 in March of 2015 .

    “From the investigation conducted so far, it is possible that the payments into the various accounts might be bribes.

    “This is because the sources of the inflows into his accounts other than the salary account in Union Bank of Nigeria Plc are unknown and probably fraudulent, and the nature of the transaction (including structured payments), are not typical of the financial transactions of a Public Servant.”

    A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Following the screening of the CJN’s accounts, detectives have discovered that the turnover does not tally with funds in other accounts.

    “He needs to explain the sources of some extra inflows into other  accounts. The government may ask any of the anti-graft agencies to look into the latest discoveries.”

    The retrieval of documents on CJN’s salary account is causing  anxiety at the bench and bar.

    It was also learnt that some salary schedule officers might be interrogated by detectives.

    “There is panic in the Supreme Court on the dimension the ongoing probe of the CJN, “a top source at the apex court said.

    The detectives are said to be interested in finding out why the CJN did not withdraw from the salary account for 18 months.

    There were also indications yesterday that the CJN might be quizzed on “some strange inflows into some of his accounts.”

    It was not immediately clear whether the CJN might be handed over to any of the anti-graft agencies or the latest findings be reported to the National Judicial Council (NJC).

    But The Nation can also authoritatively report that there was no restriction, as at last night, on five undeclared accounts of the CJN which were alleged to have about $3million.

    The accounts were not declared by the CJN in his Asset Declaration Form.

    Another top source said: “Although it is true that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), has directed the NFIU to restrict the operation of the accounts of the CJN, the directive is yet to be carried out.

    “The government stayed action in view of new dimensions into the financial activities of the CJN. There are more angles to the case against Onnoghen.

    “So far, no restriction on CJN’s accounts.”

    SANs  urge respect in  Onnoghen’s  trial

    The Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) yesterday called for respect for the constitution in the trial of Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen.

    It made the call in a communique issued at the end of a meeting held at the Nigerian Law School in Lagos.

    The Federal Government filed charges of non-declaration of assets at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) against Chief Justice Onnoghen.

    He has, however, filed an application to challenge the CCT’s jurisdiction on the basis that the matter ought to be determined by the National Judicial Council (NJC) first.

    The Federal High Court in Abuja had also restrained the CCT from arraigning Chief Justice Onnoghen.

    After considering issues of national importance, BOSAN said the issues must be resolved carefully in the Judiciary’s interest.

    The communique reads: “The Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria deplores the situation that has arisen from the preferment of charges against the CJN and head of the Nigerian Judiciary before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    “The Body urges respect for the Constitution, the rule of law, separation of powers, due process and the proper administration of justice.

    “In the prevailing circumstances, all parties are urged to consider the impact of their respective actions on the administration of justice in Nigeria and public confidence in our institutions.

    “The Body recognises that the matter is subjudice (before the CCT and other courts) and it is therefore not appropriate to comment on the merits or otherwise of any of the cases.

    “The Body considers that these issues must be resolved carefully and responsibly in the interest of the legal profession and the nation.

    “The Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria continues to endorse the core values of good governance, public integrity and sustenance of democracy in the spirit of the Constitution.”

    The communique was signed by Prof Ben Nwabueze and Mr Seyi Sowemimo.

  • Magu, detectives in Ghana to block slush funds

    Politicians relying on slush funds to run their campaigns will not have it easy, The Nation has learnt.

    Detectives are off to Ghana to block repatriation of such funds.

    The mission to Ghana is headed by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu.

    The anti-graft agency is also hunting for properties bought with illicit cash by some Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) in Ghana and other West African countries.

    The EFCC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Ghana Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) and Ghana Police Service (GPS) to track down some suspects.

    Magu and the detectives arrived in Ghana on Sunday night with some intelligence report on huge campaign cash movement along the West Coast and a list of suspects being trailed.

    It was gathered that in the last 72 hours, the EFCC delegation and the team from the EOCO of Ghana have exchanged some information.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The EFCC chairman has taken the battle against the use of slush funds for campaign by candidates to Ghana and some ECOWAS countries.

    “Due to cash crunch, there have been intelligence reports that some politicians and those who looted the treasury had been trying to haul cash to Nigeria for campaign.

    “Some of them were suspected to be engaging some Nigerian banks in Ghana for the transfer of the illicit funds.

    “We are determined to block such funds in Ghana and other countries. We have been tracking the movement of the slush funds from abroad.”

    Another source gave insights into the Ghana trip.

    Read also: $1.04billion Malabu deal: Anti-graft groups push for Shell to lose oil block

    The source said: “The Commission has been targeting safe havens all over  the world through collaboration with law enforcement agencies in those countries.  The commission is making tremendous progress in recoveries of funds and properties from such territories  and  within Nigeria.

    “There is high rate of movement  of these funds by road transportation through the porous land borders to avoid the prying eyes of security personnel at the airports.

    “ Magu’s fear is that if these illicit funds are not checked, they could be used  to undermine national security.

    “There are suspicions that these funds  could be used to support  Boko Haram terrorists as in the recent dare-devil audacity with which the group has been challenging the military.

    “As the elections draw nearer, these funds could come handy in buying votes, arming thugs and causing confusion  in the country.”

    The EFCC team is also in Ghana to identify properties and explore areas of cooperation with the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) and other agencies.

    A third source said:  ”Some PEPs and cybercrime fraudsters in concert with some Ghanaians and financial institutions buy choice properties running into millions of dollars in protected neighbourhoods in Accra.

    “There is also the angle of crude oil thieves who smuggle products from Nigeria, using Ghana as their base and thereafter laundering their proceeds through buying properties or moving the monies to  Nigeria.

    “Magu is working in collaboration with the EOCO, FIC and other relevant law enforcement agencies in Ghana.

    “The Commission is in the process of  signing a Memorandum of Understanding with these agencies and the Ghana Police Service to tackle this menace according to reports.”

    When contacted,  the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Tony Amokeodo, confirmed that a team led by Magu was in Ghana.

    He declined further comments.

  • Command deploys detectives in churches 

    Lagos Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal said yesterday that the command would deploy two detectives each in churches and mosques to stem child kidnapping.

    He was reacting to the abduction of two children, Elo Ogidi and Goodness Igwe, at the headquarters of Christ Embassy in Oregun, Lagos and Latter Rain Assembly, Ogba, Lagos.

    Edgal urged churches and mosques to tighten security in their children department.

    He said criminals entered the churches as worshippers, monitored the situation and abducted kids when those in charge of the children department were distracted.

    “Churches and mosques must tighten security during worship. We have arrested four of the kidnappers in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. They came to Lagos to abduct children, then relocated to Rivers State.

    “The kidnappers were arrested through their account details. They are helping us in our investigations to nab others,” Edgal said.

  • Detectives uncover huge cash payments to Justices

    Detectives uncover huge cash payments to Justices

    Chief Registrar:  I’ve no role in running account

    Detectives have uncovered huge cash payments to Supreme Court Justices, members of the management and staff of the apex court.

    Some of the payments, which were effected through a secret/ Operation Account, are alleged to be outrageous and outside the allowances approved by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

    The allowances include cash for justices and management staff during festivities, especially Easter, Christmas, Ramadan and Eid-el Kabir.

    Detectives are probing why the apex court paid cash instead of remittance of such payments to the accounts of the beneficiaries.

    The Presidency is said to be  in dilemma on what to do because all the former Chief Justices of Nigeria (CJN) and Justices of the Supreme Court were paid the jumbo allowances in cash from the unauthorised secret/ Operation Account.

    Some documents attached to the charge sheets of some of the suspects on trial by the Department of State Service (DSS) provide insights into the cash payments.

    The breakdown of  what the past and present CJN and Justices have been receiving since 2009 is as follows: Salary—N750,000 (paid into account of each Justice); N750,000 monthly subsidy—(payment in cash); N950,000 quarterly subsidy (payment in cash); £10,000 (estacode) for trips (payment in cash); $25,000 (medical fees yearly (payment in cash); Unspecified payment for Business Class to them and spouses in cash depending on airline; $750 per night for number of days abroad in cash;  N350,000  cash as welfare for each of the festivities (Easter, Christmas, Ramadan, Eid-el-Kabir); Chief Registrar—N700,000 as robe allowance; N200,000 for each of the festivities (in cash); and other lawyers—N500,000 as yearly dress allowance (In cash).

    A top security source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Detectives have unearthed all manner of allowances which were paid and still being paid to Supreme Court Justices since 2009 from a Secret/Illegal/ Operation Account.

    Some of these allowances are outside those ones approved by RMAFC. Our investigation confirmed the RMAFC approvals for CJN and the Justices as including regular salary and allowances: Monthly Basic Salary; Vehicle Maintenance/Fuelling; Personal Assistant; Domestic Staff; Entertainment; Utilities; Outfit; and Newspapers/Periodicals.

    “Their Non-Regular Salary and allowances include: Accommodation (once annually); furniture (once in four years); annual leave bonus; severance/gratuity (after successful tenure); vehicle loan (optional); Duty Tour Allowance per night (where applicable) and Estacode per night (where applicable).

    “In fact, one of the arrested Justices was in December 2014 paid N2million as a mark of welfare from the court to support him for his daughter’s wedding.

    “So, we discovered a lot of discrepancies in the allowances being paid to the past Chief Justices of Nigeria and Justices of the Supreme Court since 2009. Even four of the Justices who are beneficiaries of the monetisation policy still earned double allowances.

    “Technically, everyone was paid all these unauthorised allowances from the operation account based on the computation of the management. Nobody knows how the allowances were arrived at.

    “And the situation has not changed. We have documents showing that all the Justices were paid N910, 000 in April and N710, 000 in May as allowances.”

    On the status of the Operation Account, a document confirmed that one of the officials of the Supreme Court told DSS interrogators: “All these payments, except the salary, are paid in cash to the Justices which they signed for collection. I am aware that has been the tradition but I am not sure of any written authority backing the payment.

    “None of the Justices has ever, to my knowledge, refused payment of medical fees given to them.”

    But another source said the Operation Account was legally opened in 2009 after the e-payment policy was introduced.

    The source cited a memo, dated March 3, 2009 by a former Deputy Director (Finance and Accounts).

    The memo has also been tendered in the court by the DSS as part of its evidence against some suspects.

    He said the memo was explicit that the Justices be paid in cash.

    The memo, signed by M. B. Tambawal and sent to the then Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, said: “You may recall that we had a management meeting last week where we discussed the way forward on e-payment. We had various suggestions on how to have an Operation Account that would ease the operations of this Honourable Court.

    “In view of this, I humbly wish to suggest that a non-COT Operation Account be opened for the cashier (Ahmed Fagbenro).

    “The account would accommodate payment for their Lordships and staff. The cashier will be responsible in cashing these payments and pay to the beneficiaries. He would keep a Petty Cash Book in order to record the payment plus a register that would be signed by the payees.”

    The source added: “You can see that all the former CJN, present CJN and Justices of the Supreme Court were made to collect the allowances in cash by the management. This is not their making at all; they have committed no infractions.

    “I think it is a system problem which the present Chief Registrar, Ahmed Gambo Saleh is trying to reform since 2014.”

    The Presidency is weighing options because everyone has collected unauthorised allowances unknowingly. They are also unexpected to collect payment in cash  – in line with financial regulations. I think they are victims of bureaucratic trap, but ignorance is no excuse in law.

    “What the government is doing is to address the issue of corruption first before looking into other accountability problems besetting the Supreme Court.

    “Certainly, the management of the Supreme Court needs to be overhauled. This is part of the agenda for the incoming CJN in collaboration with the Presidency.”

    The Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court,  Ahmed Gambo Saleh has denied involvement in any fraud or sharp practices in the apex court.

    He also said he was never involved in any bribe deal or in the management of Operation Account.

    Saleh, who made the clarifications in his testimony to the DSS, said he has introduced reforms, including stoppage of cash payment, since he took over in 2014.

    He said: “I have never directed anyone to pay the sum of either N12million or N18million to any Justice of the Supreme Court.

    “”I am aware the practice of cash payment is not in line with financial regulations but that has been the tradition I met in the court.

    “But on assuming office, I stopped cash payments to staff; all payments are now paid into their accounts.

    “The Operation Account is in Ahmed Fagbenro’s name (the Cashier); I don’t know how much is the balance in the account.”

  • Detectives probe N60b vote for Senators, Reps

    Detectives probe N60b vote for Senators, Reps

    EFCC asks National Assembly to state why Omisore got N2.5b

    Detectives have recovered a sensitive document from Otunba Iyiola Omisore’s Abuja home.

    The document shows how N60billion was voted for extraneous overhead expenses for some senators and members of the House of Representatives in the Sixth Assembly, according to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC) sources.

    Omisore, former deputy governor of Osun State, was the chairman of the Senate Appropriation Committee between 2007 and 2011.

    The anti- graft agency is probing  the document to identify the senators and members of the House of Representatives who got the largesse.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said when detectives went to search the Abuja home of the ex-deputy governor, they stumbled on the “budget padding” document in his bedroom.

    The source said a sober Omisore joined issues with the EFCC operatives, asking why they were interested in the document.

    The source said: “In the course of searching Omisore’s residence at 1, Kainji Crescent in Maitama, Abuja, we stumbled on a document on budget padding worth about N60billion for some Senators and House of Representatives.

    “Immediately we picked the document, Omisore was a bit concerned. He asked our operatives to limit their investigation to only the N1.310billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) but we insisted that we are interested in the document.

    “It contained a list of budget padding of about N60billion and how it was spread for some Senators and members of the House of Representatives from 2007 and 2011.

    “A crack team is already looking into the details of the padding of the budget and the affected Senators and Representatives.

    “Certainly, as a former chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, we expect him to speak on the document.

    “The fact that Omisore proved difficult before we arrested him has actually paid off for EFCC. His stubbornness has assisted in opening new investigation frontiers. If he had honoured our invitation as a gentleman, we might not have been able to get these new areas of investigation.”

    To get to the root of the matter,  the EFCC has written to the management of the National Assembly to explain why it paid N2.5billion to Omisore.

    The letter followed the discovery of the strange remittance in Omisore’s account by the management when he was a serving senator.

    But the management, in a response to the EFCC signed by a top official, said Omisore was not awarded any contract or engaged for any service to have warranted such a payment.

    In a follow-up letter, the anti-graft agency mandated the management to be more “forthcoming on what the N2.5billion was meant for to have earned remittance into the account of the ex-deputy governor”.

    The NASS bureaucracy has up till the end of this week to clarify the “purpose of such a huge payment” to an individual.

    There were indications that the commission may quiz two former National Assembly and Senate Clarks as well as and some management members of staff in the Finance Department, including directors.

    According to EFCC findings, the strange payment of N2.5billion was discovered during the screening of Omisore’s transactions in the course of investigating a N1.310billion  illegally allocated to Omisore and three companies by the ONSA.

    The source added: “We were able to detect that the sum in question was transferred from the Skye Bank account of the National Assembly to Omisore’s account.

    “We got a letter from the management that Omisore did not at any time execute any contract for the National Assembly or offer any service to be able to earn such a payment.

    “We have written another letter to the management to explain why the money was paid to Omisore. We want those in the relevant desk behind the payment to guide the EFCC accordingly.

    “We are expecting a detailed response from the management of the National Assembly, including vouchers for the payment and authorisation. Once we get their response, we will invite those connected with it.

    The source explained: “This was why we secured a court warrant to detain Omisore to get to the roots of this latest payment.”

    After about three months of hide and seek, the EFCC arrested Omisore in Abuja for alleged N1.310billion ONSA slush funds traced to him  and three companies.

    According to a report by the EFCC, the funds were  remitted as follows: Fimex Gilt Limited (N160m)-8/8/2014in UBA; Metropolitan Consortium (N350m)—9/7/14 in First Bank; Sawanara (N300m)—1/8/14 in First Bank and Metropolitan Consortium (N350m)-1/8/14 in First Bank.

  • Detectives move to Sango Ota

    A team from the homicide unit of the Ogun State Police Command has moved to Iyana-Ilogbo in Sango-Ota to probe the discovery of a ritualists’ den in the area.

    The den was discovered on Saturday beside the abandoned Ayokunnu Filling Station, about 20 metres from Iyana Ilogbo Bus Stop on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

    Babatunde Taofeek and Hammed Hassan were arrested by policemen and operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad when they swooped on the building, following a tip off.

    Decomposing remains of a male victim, clothes, shoes, wigs, matchetes and bags were retrieved from the den.

    Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said a team of detectives from the Homicide Unit has moved to the area for more investigation.

    Adejobi told The Nation that the team headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Sina Olukolu, had begun work on the order of the Commissioner of Police, AbdulMajid Ali.

    He assured that the perpetrators would be arrested.

  • Okonjo: Crack squad of detectives storm Asaba

    Okonjo: Crack squad of detectives storm Asaba

    A detachment of special detectives from the Police Headquarters, Abuja arrived Asaba, Delta state capital as the manhunt for the abductors of Prof. Kamene Okonjo, mother of the Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala intensifies

    Efforts to locate the whereabouts of the 82-year old grandmother appear to have stalled, but the State Police Commissioner, Ikechukwu Aduba is upbeat that a breakthrough is in the offing.

    Aduba who confirmed the arrival of the detectives said the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar deployed the team to complement what officers of the state command were already doing to rescue the abducted wife of the traditional ruler of Ugwashi- Ukwu.

    He however did not give further details on the deployment of the special detectives but expressed confidence that with the reinforcement; the hoodlums would soon be ‘smoked-out’ of their hide-out.

    “The IG is concerned and worried about what is happening and he has sent the special squad from Abuja to assist us. We have special squad across the federation but the person involved is of global significance and the IG wants to get the results as fast as possible, that is all.”

    He reiterated the command’s earlier position that the “police has never and will never encourage the payment of ransom,” insisting that he was unaware if the kidnappers have contacted the royal family to negotiate payment.

    Aduba urged the public to cooperate with security agencies by providing useful information that could lead to whereabouts of Mrs. Okonjo.

    Prof. Okonjo, 82 was kidnapped by ten gunmen last Sunday afternoon at the palace of her husband and the Obi of Ugwashi-Ukwu in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State.