The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Diezani:

  • DIEZANI WARNED ALUKO AGAINST BUYING $80M YACHT

    DIEZANI WARNED ALUKO AGAINST BUYING $80M YACHT

    Court documents filed by the US Department of Justice in Houston have revealed that former oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, warned  her alleged business partners – Kola Aluko and Jide Omokore –against lavish spending, including splashing millions of dollars on a yacht.

    “If you want to hire a yacht, you lease it for two weeks or whatever. You don’t go and sink funds into it at this time when Nigerian oil and gas sector is under all kinds of watch,” she said to Aluko in a recorded conversation.

    But her warning was not heeded as Aluko went on to buy Galactica Star, a luxury yacht, for $80million.

    The yacht, a stupendous luxury on water, was once rented by Jay Z and his wife, Beyonce, for close to a million dollars during a holiday last year. It also once hosted Beyonce’s 32nd birthday in 2013.

    Both Aluko and Omokore are alleged to have paid bribes between 2011 and 2015 to Diezani who ensured that shell companies owned by the businessmen received billion-dollar contracts to sell Nigeria’s crude oil.

    The oil swap contracts were a controversial barter arrangement which saw Nigeria use middlemen to sell crude oil in exchange for refined products. With local refineries under-performing, oil swap deals were used to shore up local demand for petroleum products.

    Between 2010 and 2014, under Diezani’s watch, Nigeria was estimated to have channelled over 352 million barrels of oil worth a total of $35 billion into oil swap deals.

    But with the contracts mostly opaque, Nigeria reportedly lost more than $900 million in crude oil swap deals between 2009 and 2012.

    The deals came under severe scrutiny with former Central Bank Governor, now Emir Muhammadu Sanusi, describing them “not properly structured, monitored and audited.”

    President Buhari cancelled the oil swap arrangement in November 2015, seven months after taking office.

    The US Justice Department (DOJ) lawsuit has provided more insight into the scale of theft of Nigeria’s oil riches under Diezani Alison-Madueke’s watch.

    The civil lawsuit, brought by DOJ’s Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative, is seeking to recover $144 million in assets, including a $50 million luxury condo apartment in New York and the $80 million yacht.

    Prosecutors say both assets were proceeds from bribes paid by the two Nigerian businessmen for lucrative oil contracts. The lawsuit seeks the forfeiture of both assets.

    Prosecutors claim that the businessmen, Aluko and Omokore, laundered money through the US by purchasing lavish assets.

    The $50 million New York condo is at One57, located opposite Carnegie Hall in midtown Manhattan. The building currently holds the record for the most-expensive residential sale in New York following a $100.5 million apartment purchase in 2014.

    Aluko’s $50 million condo is the 8th most expensive in the building, but following a loan default, his mortgage lenders are set to auction the apartment on July 19.

    The yacht and penthouse are not the only items under scrutiny by the DOJ.

    The government also alleges that Aluko, Omokore and others funded a lavish lifestyle for Alison-Madueke.

    According to the allegations, they conspired to purchase millions of dollars in real estate in and around London for Alison-Madueke and her family members, then renovated and furnished these homes with millions of dollars in furniture, artwork and other luxury items purchased at two Houston-area furniture stores at Alison-Madueke’s direction.

    According to Financial Times, the two are accused of buying a total of four residential properties in and around London worth 11.45 million, and furnishing them with furniture, artwork and other luxury items.

    “In one day in May 2012, Mr. Aluko was said to have wired $461,500 and $262,091 to two furniture stores in Houston from a Swiss bank account, on behalf of Mrs. Alison-Madueke, the civic complaint filed in the court claimed.

    In return, the government alleges Alison-Madueke used her influence to direct a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to award Strategic Alliance Agreements (SAAs) to two shell companies created by Aluko and Omokore: Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Ltd. and Atlantic Energy Brass Development Ltd. (the Atlantic Companies).

    Under the SAAs, the Atlantic Companies were required to finance the exploration and production operations of eight on-shore oil and gas blocks. In return for financing these operations, the companies expected to receive a portion of the oil and gas produced.

    However, according to the complaint, the Atlantic Companies provided only a fraction of the agreed upon financing or, in some instances, failed entirely to provide it.

    The companies also failed to meet other obligations under the SAAs, including the payment of $120 million entry fee.

    Nevertheless, according to the allegations, the companies were permitted to lift and sell more than $1.5 billion worth of Nigerian crude oil.

    The government contends the Atlantic Companies then used a series of shell companies and intermediaries to launder a portion of the total proceeds of these arrangements into and through the U.S.

     

  • US seeks forfeiture of $100m laundered for Diezani

    US seeks forfeiture of $100m laundered for Diezani

    The US Department of Justice has gone to court seeking the forfeiture and recovery of approximately $144 million of Nigerian assets allegedly laundered in and through the United States.

    The department filed a complaint alleging that Nigerian businessmen, Kolawole Akanni Aluko and Olajide Omokore, conspired with others to pay bribes to former Minister for Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

    In return for these improper benefits, Alison-Madueke allegedly used her influence to steer lucrative oil contracts to companies owned by Aluko and Omokore.

    The complainants alleged that the proceeds of the illicitly awarded contracts were subsequently laundered in and through the US. and used to purchase various assets subject to seizure and forfeiture, including a $50 million condominium located in one of Manhattan’s most expensive buildings – 157 W. 57th Street – and the Galactica Star, an $80 million yacht.

    “The United States is not a safe haven for the proceeds of corruption,” Acting Assistant Attorney General Blanco said.

    According to the U.S. government, Aluko, Omokore purchased millions of dollars in real estate in and around London for Alison-Madueke and her family members, then renovated and furnished these homes with millions of dollars in furniture, artwork and other luxury items purchased at two Houston-area furniture stores at Alison-Madueke’s directive.

    In return, Alison-Madueke allegedly used her influence to direct a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to award Strategic Alliance Agreements (SAAs) to two shell companies created by Aluko and Omokore: Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Ltd. and Atlantic Energy Brass Development Ltd. (the Atlantic Companies).

    Under the SAAs, the Atlantic Companies were required to finance the exploration and production operations of eight on-shore oil and gas blocks. In return for financing these operations, the companies expected to receive a portion of the oil and gas produced.

    However, according to the complaint, the Atlantic Companies provided only a fraction of the required financing, or in some instances, failed entirely to provide it. The companies also failed to meet other obligations under the SAAs, including the payment of $120 million entry fee.

    Yet they were permitted to lift and sell more than $1.5 billion worth of Nigerian crude oil. The US. government contends that the Atlantic Companies used a series of shell companies and intermediaries to launder a portion of the total proceeds of these arrangements into and through the US.

  • 2015 poll: ‘Diezani gave N264m cash to bribe INEC officials’

    2015 poll: ‘Diezani gave N264m cash to bribe INEC officials’

    The Federal High Court in Lagos was told yesterday that two Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) employees, Christian Nwosu and Yisa Adegoyin, received N264million from former Petroleum Minister Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, allegedly to change the result of the 2015 general election.

    A prosecution witness, Timothy Olaobaju, said the money was paid to Nwosu and Adedoyin in cash.

    He was testifying while being led in evidence by prosecution counsel Rotimi Oyedepo in the trial of Nwosu and Tijani Inda Bashir before Justice Idris.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused them of receiving gratification from the former minister.

    Adedoyin had pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted following a plea bargain.

    Olaobaju, who was his bank’s head of operations in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, said he paid the Nwosu and Adedoyin the cash based on Mrs Alison-Madueke’s instructions.

    “I was the Head of Operations for Ilorin Branch. I had cause to meet Nwosu and Adedoyin. Sometime in 2015, there was a meeting between our Managing Director and the former Petroleum Minister during which she explained that some companies and individuals would come to the bank to pay some money into some accounts.

    “The companies were Northern Belt Ltd, Actus Integrated Ltd, Midwestern Company and one Mr Leno Laitan. In addition, she said certain individuals would bring some cash to be kept for her.

    “A total sum of $89million was paid into the accounts. Cash sums of $25million was brought, totalling $114million. The money was kept in the bank pending her instruction as agreed.

    “On March 26, 2014, we got instruction that the money should be converted to naira. After it was converted, it was about N23billion. There was a list of beneficiaries that was sent, to be paid across the 36 states of the federation, including Kwara. I handled the transactions in my branch,” the witness.

    He said the defendants came to his office to collect the cash payment, and that he only acted on instruction.

    “There was an instruction that Nwosu and Adedoyin be paid N264,880,000. The instruction came from the head office based on instruction from Mrs Alison-Madueke and they were paid. They signed a receipt of payment for the money they collected,” Olaobaju said.

    Olaobaju said after the defendants were paid, they left with the cash and did not pay it into any account.

    Under cross examination by defence counsel Obinna Okereke and Nelson Imoh, the witness said he did not know the purpose of the payment.

    “The only instruction we had was that they should bring means of identification and should be paid. They even waited for the money to be released to them. We did not know the purpose of the payment,” he said.

    Olaobaju said he did not hand over the money to Bashir, and never met Mrs Alison-Madueke; nor was he at the meeting where she gave the instructions.

    “The instruction we received was through our Divisional Head of Operations who reports to the MD,” he added.

    Justice Idris adjourned till today for continuation of trial.

  • 2015 polls: Kwara police, army, SSS, INEC, others shared in $115m ‘Diezani bribe’, says witness

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday heard how several individuals and public officials shared in an alleged bribe of $115 million paid by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, to compromise the 2015 general election.

    Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) named the officials yesterday during the trial of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Dele Belgore, before Justice Rilwan Aikawa.

    In two documents it tendered before the court, the anti-graft agency said the individuals and public officials benefited from N450 million and N155,220,000 out of the $115 million (about N36 billion) Diezani cash.

    The disbursements, which the EFCC claimed were bribes, were contained in a document titled, “Security and transportation per state”, and another one titled, “Kwara State”.

    According to the first document, the Resident Assistant Inspector-General of Police (IGP) in Kwara State at the time got N1 million cash and the Commissioner of Police (COP) in Kwara State at the time received N10 million cash. The Deputy COP in charge of Operations got N2 million cash.

    Also, the Assistant Commissioners of Police in charge of operations and administration in Kwara State, received N1 million cash each.

    The document also showed that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kwara State for the 2015 general elections got N10 million cash. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Administrative Secretary in Kwara State at the time received N5 million cash.

    The document added that INEC’s Head of Department, Operations and “his boys” were given N5 million. Other officers received and shared N2 million among themselves.

    Also listed as beneficiaries of the alleged bribe in the state were the “OC Mopol” and “his men”, who got N7 million, “2iC Mopol” and men in the state, who got N10 million; the Director of the State Security Service (SSS) and his men, who got N2.5 million.

    The military in Kwara State was bribed with N50 million, according to the document, while other security agencies including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) got N20 million..

    An EFCC investigator, Usman Zakari, who brought the document, told the court that it was recovered from Belgore.

    Belgore is accused of collecting N450 million from Diezani and distributing same to beneficiaries in Kwara State.

    The EFCC said he handled the cash without going through any financial institution, contrary to sections 1(a), 16(d), 15(2)(d) and18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.

    According to the commission, the offence is punishable under sections 15(3)(4), and 16(2)(b) of the same Act.

    Standing trial along with Belgore for the offence is a former Minister of National Planning, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman.

    The SAN and the don were arraigned on charges of money laundering on February 8, 2017 and they pleaded not guilty.

    Zakari is the second witness to be called by the EFCC in its efforts to prove its case.

    Testifying before Justice Aikawa yesterday, the witness explained that Belgore volunteered the list to the EFCC when he was invited and interrogated by the anti-graft agency.

    The investigator noted that Belgore’s endorsement on the document, stating: “document supplied by me, Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN).”

    The second document the EFCC said it recovered from Belgore, also showed beneficiaries of a sum of N155,220,000 and the breakdown of what they got.

    Among them were 15 electoral officers who each received, 250,000; 15 supervisors, who got N100,000 each; state Returning Officers who got N1m, among others.

    The two documents were tendered by the EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo. They were admitted in evidence as Exhibit 7 and 7A, against Belgore and Suleiman, as their lawyers, Mr. Ebun Shofunde (SAN) and Mr. Olatunji Ayanlaja (SAN), raised no objection.

    In his evidence, Zakari told the court that the EFCC’s findings showed that the money was disbursed in cash to the beneficiaries.

    “My lord, the mode of payment, as contained in Exhibit 7, is cash payment. The payments were not done through any financial institution,” Zakari said.

    Justice Aikawa also entertained Belgore’s application seeking the dismissal of the charges on the grounds that the EFCC failed to attach an affidavit showing that it had concluded investigation in the case before bringing the case to court.

    But in opposition, the EFCC lawyer argued that the current law governing criminal cases in the country, was the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.

    He argued that the ACJA did not list filing of the said affidavit as one of the conditions that must be fulfilled before a criminal charge could be filed in court, stressing that the provisions of the ACJA were superior to that of the Federal High Court Practice Direction.

    Justice Aikawa adjourned till July 7 for ruling.

  • How ex-minister, SAN ‘got N450m from Diezani’

    How ex-minister, SAN ‘got N450m from Diezani’

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday heard that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mohammed Dele Belgore and former minister of National Planning Prof Abubakar Suleiman signed for the N450million they allegedly received from former Petroleum Minister Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said the money was part of $115,010,000 (about N37billion) allegedly shared by Alison-Madueke to some individuals in 36 states during the 2015 general elections.

    EFCC re-arraigned Belgore and Suleiman on an amended money laundering charge in which Mrs Alison-Madueke was included as a defendant, though “at large”.

    The commission said they “directly took possession of the sum” and conspired to make cash payment of N450million, which “exceeded the amount authorised by law without going through financial institution”.

    Testifying at the trial yesterday, an EFCC operative, Usman Zikari, said the money was stashed in a bank’s vault before it was shared among the politicians and some Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officers as gratification towards the 2015 general election.

    He exhibited a receipt for N450 million which Belgore and Suleiman allegedly signed.

    Zikari said sometime in 2016, the commission received an intelligence report  that three firms and an individual, Adesanya Olaitan, took $89million to the bank on Alison-Madueke’s instructions.

    The witness added that another aide of the former minister took $25,776,000 to the bank.

    Zikari said the money was first converted to naira before it was then distributed to politicians, including the defendants.

    He said in the course of investigation, the bank’s Managing Director was invited for questioning.

    “During the interview with the MD, it was revealed that in December of 2014, the MD had a meeting with Mrs. Diezani, where she told him that some individuals would be bringing money, that he should keep the money, and that when the money was complete, she would give him further instruction,” he said.

    Zikari said more money was brought to the bank and an instruction to convert the dollars and distribute it was given via Mrs Alison-Madueke’s son Ogbonna’s email address.

    Justice Aikawa adjourned till June 15 for continuation of trial.

  • Obasanjo: I warned Jonathan over Diezani, second term bid

    Obasanjo: I warned Jonathan over Diezani, second term bid

    FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has said he warned ex-President Goodluck Jonathan against assigning the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, the former minister.

    He said Jonathan ignored him and the nation could feel the consequences.

    He also said he asked Jonathan not to seek a second term ticket in office in line with the agreement he had reached with prominent Northern leaders.

    He said although Jonathan enlisted Pastor Enoch Adeboye and Bishop David Oyedepo  on January 12, 2015 at the Hilltop residence in Abeokuta  to beg him, he said he stood his ground that Jonathan must abide by the one term agreement.

    Besides, he explained that poor handling of Boko Haram insurgency made him to oppose Jonathan’s return because a continuation of the administration could endanger the country.

    He accused Jonathan of considering state matters within the prism of Ijaw politics.

    Obasanjo made the disclosures in a new book, “Against The Run of Play”, written by the Chairman of ThisDay Editorial Board, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi.,

    The ex-President said:  “He (Jonathan) gave me the impression that he was not going to give her (Diezani) the portfolio but at the end he did and we can see the consequences. He of course knew what he was doing.”

    For about two years, the ex-Petroleum Minister has been under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Besides the N23.29billion poll bribery scam, Mrs Alison-Madueke has been implicated in the $1.04billion Malabu Oil Block scandal, and the $15billion “missing” NLNG dividends, among others.

    But the ex-Minister, who was arrested in London on October 2, 2015 by the National Crime Agency (NCA), has said that she has left all allegations against her to God.

    In a statement, she said: “I have absolute regard for the law and believe that people who have breached the laws that govern societies should be made to face the wrath of the law. But in a civilised society, a responsible government owes its citizens absolute commitment to the principles of rule of law, equity, fairness and justice. I have been wrongfully and maliciously maligned and those behind this reckless action know it.

    “I leave them to posterity, their conscience and above all the Almighty God who is the final judge of all.”

    Obasanjo insisted that she ought not to be the Minister of Petroleum Resources.

    He was not forthcoming in the book on why she opposed her being chosen for the portfolio.

    The former President recalled how Jonathan became the Vice President in 2007 and how he stuck out his neck for him to be elected president in 2011 to solve minority agitation.

    He said: “You know of course that Jonathan was not my first choice as running mate to your late boss (Yar’Adua), it was Dr. Peter Odili. But whether by fate or some conspiracy, Odili had hurdles that made it impossible for him to take the position. That was how I settled for Jonathan.

    “I saw the emergence of Jonathan as an opportunity to solve the minority agitation. The three majority ethnic groups can always sort themselves out but not so for the minority.

    “A good example is my state here in Ogun. Despite the best intentions, nobody from Ogun West has been able to become governor because of this minority issue and it will take a conscious effort to make it happen. “So, it was in that context that I had to plead with prominent people in the North to allow Jonathan run for a term.”

    On Jonathan re-election bid in 2015, Obasanjo spoke of how the ex-President told him that he would not seek a second term in office.

    He added: “I confronted him several times but he kept deceiving himself and when I could no longer put up with it, I had to register my opposition to the idea on record as I did in my letter to him.

    “I didn’t join them in supporting Buhari; I joined in opposing Jonathan so Buhari was just a beneficiary of my opposition to Jonathan since my opposition was AOBJ: Any Option But Jonathan

    “Jonathan and his handlers believed they could buy the election and they were so arrogant about it that the PDP would print only one nomination for him and him alone.

    “If he was wise, he would have yielded the ticket to somebody else in the PDP.”

    He said although Jonathan enlisted Pastor Enoch Adeboye and Bishop David Oyedepo to beg him at the Hilltop residence in Abeokuta, he said he stood his ground that Jonathan must abide by one term agreement.

    He added: “It was only Pastor Adeboye that Jonathan told me was coming with him but Bishop Oyedepo is a man I also know very well so I had no problem with his presence at the meeting.

    “I told him in the presence of his witnesses that I was not going to support him for a second term and I gave my reasons.

    “Aside the issue of zoning on which he was reneging, his stewardship at that point had also shown very clearly that he was not up to the job.”

    Obasanjo also explained that poor handling of the Boko Haram insurgency made him to oppose Jonathan’s return because a continuation of the administration could endanger the country.

    He said: “Jonathan and his people turned Boko Haram into an industry for making money. Rather than seek for solution, Boko Haram became an ATM machine for taking money out of the treasury.

    “Take the issue of Chibok tragedy. If he had acted within the first 48 hours, they would have found most of the girls. The CAN Chairman of the local chapter in Chibok was here to see me and he explained how they were helpless with no reaction from the authorities for several days.”

    But Obasanjo clarified that he has no personal grudges against Jonathan except that it was based on certain principles he was not ready to compromise.

    He said: “My decision was based on what would be for the good of Nigeria and since I didn’t consider Jonathan good enough, I told him to his face. What would I be afraid of?”

    The ex-President accused Jonathan of seeing the world and attending to state matters within the prism of Ijaw politics or nationalism.

    He said: “I once asked him (Jonathan), ‘What is this Ijaw thing all about? Can the Ijaw people make you President?’

    “I remember when he granted pardon to Alamieyeseigha and it became an international embarrassment, I also asked him, ‘Why did you do it? He started by offering the lame excuse that it was a Council of State decision before I reminded him that Council of State was merely advisory and that the decision was his.

    “After a while, he said if I was at the meeting, he probably could have acted differently because nobody opposed it. I then counseled him on what he could do to address the problem. But either because he didn’t have the courage to broach the issue with Alamieyeseigha or he didn’t think it was important, he did nothing afterwards.”

    He admitted not knowing Jonathan well enough before taking a political bet on him.

    Obasanjo added: “But then you really cannot know people until you give them power and responsibility. That is when you will gauge their capacity.”

    Asked how much due diligence he did on the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, he said only sought “two clarifications out of which Yar’Adua gave him a medical report”.

    He said: “One, the lingering doubts about his health, while the other was a very pervasive allegation that he had manipulative wife who had too much influence on him.

    “Not being a medical practitioner, I gave the report to a friend and renowned professional in the medical field who reviewed it and told me that the person in the report was not on dialysis, which meant that he didn’t have kidney problem or that he had successfully undergone a kidney transplant. That was the report I had about his health.”

    Jonathan has always insisted that he never signed any agreement to do one term.

    He said his comments in Addis Ababa in February 2011 on tenure were grossly misinterpreted.

    He added: “I had made a proposition for a single term of seven years. That was the context in which I spoke in Addis Ababa that if the idea was accepted, I would not run again. It was not the context of a second-term of four years.

    “Of course, at that period, the issue of one term was brought up several times at different meetings and some people took it upon themselves to pledge on my behalf but I never said I was going to spend only one term…the question was always usually randomly asked and I never made any such commitment to anybody.

    “In any case, you can make a political promise and change your mind, so long as it is within the law.”

  • $1.04bn block: How Diezani ceded OPL 245 to Malabu Oil in 2010

    $1.04bn block: How Diezani ceded OPL 245 to Malabu Oil in 2010

    •What Mohammed Abacha told FG on the firm’s shareholders’ crisis

    More trouble awaits a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, following fresh revelations yesterday that she has been fingered in the ceding of the controversial $1.04billion OPL 245 to Malabu Oil.

    It was also learnt that contrary to their claim, the Abacha family in December 2012 sought  the Federal Government intervention in the shareholders’ dispute in Malabu Oil and Gas Limited.

    But the government in January 2013 asked aggrieved shareholders to go to court, a development which was unacceptable to the Abachas at that time.

    These facts have emanated from the  ongoing investigation of the controversial oil block by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC).

    Findings by our correspondent revealed that detectives have obtained more documents, implicating Diezani in the oil block deal and confirming the interest of the Abacha family.

    Although the ex-minister is still holed up in London pending a trial in a UK court, it was learnt that she has a case to answer on the Malabu Oil block.

    A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The ongoing probe of the controversial oil block has shown that Diezani was central to the ceding of the oil block to Malabu Oil and Gas Limited.

    “Some documents available to detectives have clearly shown that she has some explanation to give on how the oil block was returned to Malabu.

    “At the appropriate time, the EFCC may seek inter-agency collaboration with the appropriate authorities in the United Kingdom to enable its detectives to interrogate Diezani.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “There are many suspects we are closing in on the Malabu Oil block. More will still face trial.”

    In a July 2nd 2010 letter to the Managing Director of Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, Diezani asked the company to pay US$210million as signature bonus.

    The letter, ICSID Case No. ARE/07/18, said: “Further to the Settlement Agreement between the Federal Government of Nigeria and Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd dated  November 2006, your company is hereby allocated OPI 245 subject to the payment of the sum of US$210million as signature bonus into the Federal Government designated account less the sum of US$2,040,000 already paid by your company in respect of the said block within ninety days (90 days) from the date of receipt of this letter.

    “Please note that failure to pay the above mentioned within the stipulated period will amount to forfeiture of the allocation without further notice from the office.

    “Please, accept the assurance of my highest regards.”

    As at press time, findings confirmed that the Abacha family begged the Federal Government to intervene in the shareholders’ dispute in Malabu Oil and Gas Limited.

    But  after failure by shareholders to meet, the government asked those aggrieved to go to court.

    It was learnt that a company, ‘Enervate Consult Limited’, approached the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), for “urgent intervention in the dispute among shareholders of Malabu Oil and Gas Limited.

    The AGF through a letter,  HAGF/GEN/SA3/2012/1 of December 18, 2012 and signed by a Special Assistant to the ex-minister, Mr. Pius Oteh, sought clarification from the Abachas on the status of Enervate Consult Limited.

    The letter said: “I am directed to you that the Honourable Attoney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (HAGF) is in receipt of a letter dated today, 18th December, 2012 from a certain ‘Enervate Consult Limited’ in respect of the above described matter.

    “The said company has indicated in the said letter that it is representing your interests towards the resolution of the alleged dispute among shareholders of Malabu Oil and Gas Limited over ownership rights.

    “The HAGF requests that you confirm that the said ‘Enervate Consult Limited’ has been so instructed by you to represent your interests in the matter.

    “Please, accept the assurance of the good wishes of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.”

    But  Mohammed Abacha disowned the consulting firm and chose to handle the shareholding crisis through two representatives-Abdullahi Haruna and Reuben Okpanachi Atabo Esq.

    In a December 18, 2012 letter to the ex-AGF and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke(SAN), the scion of Abacha family, Alh. Mohammed Abacha said: “I acknowledge the receipt of your letter with reference no. HAGF/GEN/SA3/2012/1 dated 18th December, 2012 on the above subject and want to thank you immensely for the warm reception accorded me and my team in your office today.

    “I want to formally inform you that I want to directly handle the current stage of efforts to resolve the outstanding shareholders dispute would want to be presented at all meetings by Abdullahi Haruna and Reuben Okpanachi Atabo Esq.”

    On March 21, 2017, Mohammed Abacha approached a Federal High Court in Abuja, asking it to declare him and a firm, Pecos Energy Ltd, as genuine owners of Malabu Oil & Gas Limited.

    The EFCC had filed two  charges against some people suspected to have played some roles in the auctioning of the oil block.

    The commission on  December 20, 2016 filed nine charges bordering on alleged mismanagement of $1,616,690,656.78 Malabu Oil cash against a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Chief Dan Etete, a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Bello Adoke (SAN), a businessman, Aliyu 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.

    In another separate charge, the EFCC sued  Etete, Adoke, Abubakar and eight others over alleged $801million bribe in respect of the auctioning of the Malabu Oil block.

    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) whilst being the Director of AGIP; Pujatti Stefeno(Italian) while being the Director in AGIP; and Burafato Sebastiano (Italian).

    All the suspects have denied the charges.

  • ‘Part of Diezani’s $115m came from CBN in bullion van’

    ‘Part of Diezani’s $115m came from CBN in bullion van’

    THE Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday heard that the N450 million allegedly received by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mohammed Dele Belgore and former Minister of National Planning Prof. Abubakar Suleiman was brought to the bank from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in a bullion van.
    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said the sum was part of $115,010,000 (about N37 billion) allegedly shared by former Petroleum Resources Minister Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke to different individuals in 36 states.
    The first prosecution witness, Mr. Timothy Olaobaju, a banker, said among those who allegedly benefited from the money were Belgore and Suleiman, who are on trial for alleged money laundering.
    Asked under cross-examination by Belgore’s lawyer, Chief Ebun Shofunde (SAN), what the denomination of the money was, the witness said: “I can’t remember vividly but I remember there were N1,000 and N500 bills.”
    He said the money was offloaded from the bullion van into his bank’s loading bay, where it was manually counted.
    The witness said though the bank was ready to deliver the money to Belgore and Suleiman on March 26, 2015, when it arrived from the CBN, Suleiman’s failure to release his identification card delayed the process.
    He added that the transaction was captured on the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) camera mounted in the bank.
    Shofunde said: “I suggest to you that none of the defendants collected one kobo out of the N450 million.”
    The witness answered: “That is not true.”
    Olaobaju added: “The money was counted by way of bundle counting, and they were in N1,000 and N500 denominations. The money was kept overnight and in the vaults.
    “That very day, before the beneficiaries came, we had already stacked the money for them to pick. But there was a delay because the minister refused to show his identity card.
    “The beneficiaries said they could not carry the money that night because it was late. It is not true that none of the beneficiaries collected a dime,” he said.
    When Shofunde suggested to Olaobaju that it took two days to count the money, the witness disagreed. He said: “As a professional banker, I can count N1billion in 20 minutes.”
    Shofunde then put it to him that it was different individuals who came to the bank on March 27, 2015 to sign and collect portions of the N450 million, but the witness said: “That is not true.”
    The defendants objected to the tendering of a list showing they allegedly received N450 million from Mrs. Alison-Madueke.
    EFCC re-arraigned Belgore and Suleiman on an amended money laundering charge in which Mrs. Alison-Madueke was included as a defendant, though “at large”.
    Prosecution counsel Rotimi Oyedepo sought to tender the list, but Suleiman’s lawyer, Mr. Olatunji Ayanlaja (SAN), argued that the document did not fully comply with Section 84 of the Evidence Act.
    He urged Justice Riwan Aikawa to reject it.
    Belgore’s lawyer Ebun Shofunde (SAN) said the list emanated from the maker’s mail box.
    “The document sought to be tendered has not met the conditions made out in Section 84 of the Evidence Act. It shows that the list was made from the mail box of nnamdi@yahoo.com.
    “The certificate itself was not made by the witness. That makes it more ‘yahoo, yahoo’ and I urge your lordship to rejection same,” he said.
    Oyedepo said the document substantially satisfied Section 84 of the Evidence Act, and urged the judge to admit it.
    According to him, there was a certificate attached to the document, which came from the bank where the money was lodged, signed by its Chief Compliance Officer.
    EFCC accused the defendants of conspiring to directly take possession of the N450 million, which they reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act.
    The commission said they “directly took possession of the sum” and conspired to make cash payment of N450 million, which “exceeded the amount authorised by law without going through financial institution”.
    Belgore and Suleiman pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
    Justice Aikawa adjourned till March 23 for ruling on the list’s admissibility.

  • EFCC’s witness: Diezani ‘shared’ $115m to 36 beneficiaries

    EFCC’s witness: Diezani ‘shared’ $115m to 36 beneficiaries

    •’Belgore, Suleiman received N450m’

    THE Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday heard that former Petroleum Resources Minister Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke allegedly shared $115,010,000 (about N37 billion) among individuals in 36 states.
    Some who allegedly received the money were a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mohammed Dele Belgore and a former Minister of National Planning Prof. Abubakar Suleiman, the court heard.
    They allegedly received N450million in cash.
    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arraigned Belgore and Suleiman yesterday on an amended charge in which Mrs. Alison-Madueke was included as a defendant.
    She was absent in court. EFCC said she was “at large”.
    The first prosecution witness, Mr. Timothy Olaobaju, a banker, said Mrs. Alison-Madueke lodged the sum in a bank and gave instructions that it should be converted to naira and shared.
    Suleiman had claimed in a statement after he was first arraigned on February 8 that the N450million was part of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign fund, which came from oil marketers.
    He claimed the cash was part of voluntary donations made to the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan by some undisclosed marketers.
    The ex-engineer also said neither him nor Belgore benefited from the money.
    Suleiman made the clarifications against the backdrop of his arraignment, adding that the EFCC had no business investigating private donations.
    But testifying before Justice Rilwan Aikawa, Olaobaju said the money came from Mrs. Alison-Madueke.
    He spoke while presenting evidence after Belgore and Sulaiman pleaded not guilty to the amended five-count charge.
    Led in evidence by the EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness said in April 2014, his bank’s managing director gave a directive that certain companies and individuals would pay into an account with the bank.
    “The purpose of the payment was not disclosed. Over the period, thereafter, some amounts were paid money into the account. The funds were deposited in dollars. The total sum was $115,010,000.
    “On March 27, 2015, there was an instruction from the former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, through our MD, that the fund in the account should be converted to naira and paid to certain individuals.
    “The funds were paid according to Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s instructions. The names of the defendants (Belgore and Sulaiman) were on the list sent to our branch. The money was paid in about 36 states of the federation,” the witness said.
    Olaobaju said although the defendants were not the bank’s customers, the instruction was that they should be paid.
    “The instruction was that the sum of N450million should be paid to Mr. Dele Belgore (SAN) and Prof. Abubakar Suleiman.
    “They both received the money and filled the Receipt of Payment as evidence of receipt of the money and acknowledgment of same,” the witness said.
    Olaobaju said Belgore and Sulaiman signed separate receipts for the N450 million on March 27, 2015. The receipts were admitted in evidence as Exhibits 1 and 1A.
    The witness said no cheque was issued in favour of Belgore and Sulaiman, nor was the money paid into any account.
    “To my knowledge, the N450million was not credited into any account,” he said.
    Sulaiman, a professor of Political Science and International Relations, and Belgore, a former governorship aspirant in Kwara State, were accused of conspiring between themselves to commit the offence on March 27, 2015.
    EFCC accused them of conspiring to take possession of the N450million, which they reasonably ought to have known was part of proceeds of an unlawful act.
    The commission said they committed the alleged offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.
    In the second count, EFCC said they “directly took possession of the sum”; in the third count, the defendants were accused of conspiring to make cash payment of N450 million, which “exceeded the amount authorised by law without going through a financial institution”.
    The alleged offence, EFCC said, was contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 16(2) (b) of the same Act.
    In the fourth and fifth counts, they were accused of making cash payment of N450 million to Sheriff Shagaya without going through a financial institution.
    The sum, the prosecution said, exceeded the amount authorised by law and is contrary to Section 1(a), Section 16(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.
    Belgore and Suleiman pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
    Their trial continues today.

  • UK okays Diezani’s trial for ‘money laundering’

    UK okays Diezani’s trial for ‘money laundering’

    Four others to face prosecution in June  

    EFCC takes more proof to London

    All is set for the trial of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, and four others  in London for alleged corrupt practices.

    The trial has been fixed for June and more evidence were hauled to the United Kingdom at the weekend.

    Part of the evidence are the proceedings of a Federal High Court in respect of the order of  final forfeiture of $153million allegedly traced to the ex-minister.

    It was also learnt that one of the suspects had been found at a hideout in London and placed under surveillance.

    There have been reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was negotiating with Mrs. Alison-Madueke. The EFCC yesterday said it was not engaged in any secret negotiation with her.

    According to a source in the anti-graft agency, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, the agency is set  for the trial.

    The source said: “The UK investigators have gone far on the allegations against Diezani. From the records made available, the ex-minister and four others will face trial as from June.

    “We have taken more evidence to the UK, including all court records relating to the final forfeiture of $153million. We have a huge pile of documents.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “In fact, one of the suspects on the radar of investigators has been located in London and he is under surveillance.” He declined to name the suspect.

    On the reported negotiation with the former minister, the source said: “There is no basis to negotiate with the ex-Minister in view of the overwhelming evidence at our disposal. You should ask yourself what purpose the negotiation will serve.

    “The EFCC is set for the trial of the ex-minister at home and abroad. It is curious to be talking of a curious negotiation with someone who has a prima facie case to answer.

    “The ex-minister has forfeited $153m; we have had far-reaching investigation on her involvement in the $115m poll bribery scandal; we have seized some of her choice properties and she has consistently maintained that she is ready for trial. So, what is the basis for negotiation when we have a good case?”

    The National Crime Agency (NCA) on October 2, 2015 arrested Mrs. Alison-Madueke and four others  for alleged bribery and corruption and money laundering.

    The former minister, whose movement has been restricted to the UK, remains under investigation.

    The NCA found some of the ex-minister’s brothers and other business partners complicit in the money laundering allegation. She was arrested with her brothers.

    Messrs Abiye Agama and Somye Agama are Mrs Alison-Madueke siblings who operate some UK-based businesses hurriedly shut them after the NCA and the EFCC searchlight became intense.

    The two brothers are directors of Hadley Petroleum Solutions Limited, a company the authorities believe was  used for money laundering. The other directors are Ugonna Madueke and Abu Fari.

    The company was registered in June 2013 in Manchester, but was dissolved less than two years later last  February without filing any account.

    Abiye, 33, a point man of the firm, is a computer engineer and manager. He was a director in 11 other companies. He resigned from seven of them.

    According to EFCC records, some of the assets  linked with Mrs. Alison-Madueke are:

    • A block of six units service apartments on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi
    • Six units terrace flats in Yaba, Lagos Mainland
    • Twin four-bedroom duplexes in Lekki Phase I
    • Two duplexes on Banana Island
    • A duplex in Asokoro District, Abuja
    • A mini-estate in Mabushi, Abuja
    • A set of 12 terrace duplexes at Omaremi Street  in Port Harcourt
    • Large expanse of land at Oniru, Victoria Island in Lagos
    • A multi-billion Naira estate in Yenagoa
    • Two apartments in Dubai marked as J5 Emirates Hills (30million Dirham) and  E146 Emirates Hills valued at 44million Dirham
    • A hotel in Port Harcourt under investigation
    • $37.5m mansion on Banana Island in Lagos.

    But Alison-Madueke had disputed some of the slush funds and assets  attributed to her including the $153million.

    She said: “I have up till now chosen to maintain my silence and not to respond to inaccurate press reporting. However, given the level of deliberate inaccuracies, I am now forced to respond because it is clear that the EFCC is taking advantage of my silence to try me by media and to convict me in the eyes of the public on false reports.”

    “First and foremost, whilst the reasons for my being out of the country are public knowledge, the principle of fair hearing demands that I should have been notified of formal charges if truly there was a prima facie evidence or indictment against my person linking me with the said issue, so as to ensure that I had adequate legal representation. This was never done.

    “I wish to state that I cannot forfeit what was never mine. I do not know the basis on which the EFCC has chosen to say that I am the owner of these funds as no evidence was provided to me before the order was obtained and they have not in fact served me with the order or, any evidence since they obtained it.

    “I do not therefore, understand how the EFCC can in the same breath say that the monies in question are mine. If they had evidence that the monies were mine then they would not /should not, have used the procedure which applies only to funds of unknown ownership. If indeed they used this particular legal procedure because they did not know who owned the monies, then how can they now be falsely attributing the ownership to me.

    “Let me re-state categorically as I have always maintained, for the record, I have not and will never steal money from or defraud the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    “ I am willing to respond to any charges brought against me that follow duly laid down procedures.”