The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC)

  • Badeh: Court adjourns trial to January 12

    Badeh: Court adjourns trial to January 12

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, has adjourned the case of a former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, till January 12.

    The judge, Justice Okon Abang, adjourned the matter when the prosecution presented the 13th witness, Joseph Okpetu, on Tuesday.

    The Prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), led Okpetu, a contractor, in his evidence-in-chief.

    Okpetu told the court that he knew Badeh in 2003 when he did the renovation in Zone D Apo, Abuja, and also in 2008 when he did a construction for Nigeria Airforce in Kaduna.

    He said when the defendant was appointed as the Chief of Air Staff in 2012, he was not in the country but when he returned, he went to his house and there he met with Yishau the director of finance.

    He said after some months, Yishau called him and handed him a building plan to be constructed for Badeh in Yola and was given N100 million, which he refused before it was increased to N150 million.

    “The construction in Yola was for three bedroom duplex, with a guest room and a boy’s quarters.

    “The construction was completed in 2014, I don’t know if the house was occupied, but I told Yusau that we completed it, that is when he paid me the balance of the contract after completion,” he said.

    When asked if he knew anything about the renovation Badeh’s house in the village, he said yes.

    “I got a call by an unknown person and was asked if I was the one that built the house in the village for Badeh, I said yes, the person then said how much will it cost to renovate the house.

    “I told him when it was built it was around N15 million to N19 million then, so, I told him it will cost N50 million and I was given the money.

    “I also did some work on his farm with part of the N50 million, that is the access road to the farm, we use the money to buy plants and equipment,” Okpetu added.

    He further said that the total amount spent on the farm was about seven million naira and he refunded N20 million to Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) as balance he had after deducting administrative charges of his company and other expenses.

  • Laundered monies invested in real estate – Surveyor discloses

    Laundered monies invested in real estate – Surveyor discloses

    Real estate investment and surveying practice patronage have been confirmed to be saturated with funds believed to be stolen from government coffers.
    The Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Surveyor Ola Siyanbola (fnis) said during the annual general meeting of Oyo State Private Practicing Surveyors which held at the NIS Plaza, Ikolaba, Ibadan today.

    Siyanbola confirmed that many of those that benefited from corrupt practices in the country overtime have found it difficult to take the proceeds abroad as they were used to or buy properties at highbrow spots but now buy vast expanse of lands with the guise of investing in agriculture.

    He said members of the surveying profession have been warned of the consequences of providing professional services to individuals found to have corruptly enriched themselves as the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC)’s act clearly stated the penalty for such connivance.

    “We all are aware that those that stole from government or have corruptly enriched themselves now hide their monies in real estate investment by buying vast expanse of lands for security of their wealth.

    “Our members have been taken through trainings and series of admonitions on the ethics of our profession and I’m using this opportunity to reiterate the fact that our members should desist from acts that can dent the image of our institution.”

    The President of the Oyo State Private Practising Surveyors Cooperative Investment and Credit Society Limited, Alh. Adebayo Nafiu, in his address said the society had helped members survived the biting economic recession that have pervaded the country.

    Nafiu hinted that members have enjoyed credit facilities, savings interests for festivals as well as provision of food commodities that sustained the home front against hunger in the face of nonpayment of salaries, high cost of living and mass job loss.

    He assured members that the seven years old cooperative society would wax stronger and give financial protection that would sustain their status.

    “Our cooperative society has helped members survive the hardest, biting point of Nigeria’s economic recession in the areas of provision of credit facilities, soft loan schemes, savings interests and distribution of food commodities to our members.

    “Practising Surveyors who are not presently members are hereby enjoined to join and reap the gains of our cooperative society,” he concluded.

  • EFCC Maiduguri office recovers N200 million

    EFCC Maiduguri office recovers N200 million

    The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) office in Maiduguri which extends its operations to Yobe State has within five months recovered the sum of not less than two hundred million Naira.

    The Nation checks gathered that the EFCC office in Maiduguri though established since 2011 was shut down due to the insurgency in the state. But like other agencies, the commission resumes operations in the states last November with the improvement of the security situation in the state.

    The Head of Operations of Maiduguri office Ibrahim Bappa in a Press Statement sent to our Correspondent in Maiduguri said the monies recovered are both for the Federal Government and individual victims through petitions received by the commission.

    The statement read in part; “Since the office resumed operations in November, 2015, it has recovered the sum of ₦196, 670, 000:00 (One hundred and ninety six million, six hundred and seventy thousand) Naira only for the Federal Government of Nigeria and the sum of ₦2,800,000:00 (Two Million Eight hundred thousand) Naira only for individual victims as a result of petitions received and acted upon by the zone.

    “The Commission is hereby, putting on notice to all businessmen and women who indulge in Economic and Financial Crimes to desist from such unwholesome acts or face the wrath of the Law as stipulated in the commission’s establishment Act.

    “Also, the EFCC is urging the general public to report any public official suspected to have used his/her position to enrich him or herself or any individual living above him/her known means by way of writing petition to the Executive Chairman of EFCC through the Head of Operations Maiduguri zonal office, as no stone will be left unturned to bring such persons to justice. As we say “EFCC… Will get you Anywhere, Anytime!”

    “The zonal office team hereby solicits your cooperation in executing its mandates in tune with the Change Agenda of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” the statement reads.

     

  • Buhari directs EFCC to release N10b recovered fund to NBC

    Buhari directs EFCC to release N10b recovered fund to NBC

    President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to release the N10 billion recovered loot to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

    The fund was part of the proceeds from the sales of spectrum made by the past administration which was diverted.

    NBC Director General, Mr. Modibbo Kawu revealed this Thursday while briefing Journalists in Abuja on the forthcoming International Conference for African Broadcasters (AFRICAST) which is expected to be attended by more than 700 people from the continent.

    Kawu noted the agency is already processing the release of the money, which he said will be committed into the country’s digitalization process.

    He said, “President Muhammadu Buhari has gracious approved that the N10 billion be returned to NBC so that we can use it for digital transmission process.

    “The money will be  used as part of what we have being dong so far, I would not be letting out the secret  if I tell you that money that was taking from the account of NBC into the EFCC recovery account.”
    He also assured that going by the level of work, the country will meet up with the Digital Switch Over (DSO) 2017 deadline.
    “I am optimistic that we are going to achieve the 2016 digital switch over deadline.

    “Two or three weeks ago, the president was in United Nations when he met the captains of American industry, he did say something that Nigeria was willing  to use digital revolution as a major starting point for kick starting a revolutional approach to employment in our country, that includes digital broadcasting.
    “So at the very top level, the president and the people around him, understand that this is a very important process that we need to achieve.”

    On the coming 2016 AFRICAST, he said “We are thinking about a new future for AFTICAST, we plan to make it bigger and better.”

    He also noted that there are plans on ground to make it a yearly activity instead of the current biennial. we want Afriast to be a permanent industry activity on the global calendar. We also expect stronger and more visible-buy in into the AFRICAST, by the industry.

    On the possible financial benefit to the country, Kawu said “sometime when we talk about the benefit that Nigwria is expecting from the programme, he said sometimes, you don’t quantify everything in terms of Naira and kobo. If you are looking for bottom line every time, you might miss the critical point.

    But seriously, it is also an opportunity for networking and this will count in terms of procurement and possibilities of training and so many intangible that can help to develop our industry so it is not just about the money that is coming in, but about long term, short term and medium term possibilities, for broadcasting development in Nigeria and Africa.”

  • EFCC bail condition is stringent – Omisore

    EFCC bail condition is stringent – Omisore

    The former deputy governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore has described bail condition by the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) for his release as stringent.

    In a statement by his media aide, Diran Odeyemi, he explained that the EFCC in a letter to Omisore “after several hours of interrogation asked him to produce two serving Directors as sureties In any of the Federal Ministries or Agencies with landed property in millionaires’ quarters of Maitama or Asokoro area of Abuja.”

    According to him, the sureties must submit the original Certificate of Occupancy of their landed properties.

    He added: “We know too well of a standing instructions to serving civil servants not to stand as Sureties in any matter and wonder why EFCC is giving a condition they have already blocked. We will approach the court to seek Sen Omisore’s release and wonder why EFCC has turned itself to an agent of persecution instead of prosecution.”

  • Freezing of Fayose’s account: PDP accuses Buhari of tyranny, witch-hunt

    Freezing of Fayose’s account: PDP accuses Buhari of tyranny, witch-hunt

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the freezing of the personal bank account of Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose as tyrannical and a witch-hunt.

    The party said it has been observing with dismay, the  dangerous trend of politically motivated trials and tyrannical administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressive Congress (APC) demanding that the ruling party must stop the witch-hunt in the interest of peace and stability of the nation.

    In a statement Wednesday by PDP’ interim spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the party said the freezing of the governor’s account was unlawful, undemocratic, autocratic, oppressive, draconian “and to say the least, the height of desperation by the Buhari administration to cover up for its failure to deliver on his campaign promises to Nigerians”.

    Adeyeye said events in the country in recent times have shown that President Buhari and the APC have no agenda for nation building but on a revenge mission.

    He said, “This government is all out to silence any voice of the opposition. Nigerians will recall that Chief Olisa Metuh, the former National Publicity Secretary of our great party is today standing trial for receiving campaign funds and since his arrest and prosecution by the anti-graft agency, Chief Metuh could not challenge the APC government on policy issues until he left office.

    “Nigerians will also recall that one of the known opposition voices, apart from some individuals and governors of our party that have exposed the APC led administration for running the country aground in the last one year is the former spokesman of the PDP presidential campaign organisation, Chief Femi Fani Kayode.

    “He is now standing trial for receiving campaign funds from the Director of Finance of the campaign. It’s now the turn of the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose who has been consistent in condemning the woes the APC government brought upon Nigerians and for remaining critical of the APC and President Buhari’s administration”.

    The party asked the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to free Fayose’s bank account immediately, saying that the action violated Section 308 of 1999 Constitution as a sitting governor cannot stand trial until after his tenure.

    “President Buhari and his party, the APC have introduced a dangerous trend in our polity and if this is not checked or curtailed immediately, Nigeria may be heading to an imperial-rule where the leader of the nation is a supreme ruler dictating who survives at the expense of the Nigerian Constitution”, the spokesman added.

    The PDP called on well-meaning Nigerians and all stakeholders in the Nigerian project who are still alive to rise up to the occasion and call the APC government to order before President Buhari “destroys our hard earned democracy”.

  • Edo PDP aspirant denies EFCC arrest

    Edo PDP aspirant denies EFCC arrest

    Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu Campaign Organization Friday denied the arrest by Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) as reported by some National Daily.

    The campaign organization said, “our attention has been drawn to a false and wicked propaganda which has been circulating on social media that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has been arrested by the EFCC.

    “Ordinarily, we would not react to such rumour sponsored by political upstarts within and outside who are worried at the massive support our campaign is gaining among the people of Edo state, but because The Nation newspaper, which ought to be a responsible newspaper, published the false report in their today issue, we have decided to respond to prevent a false propaganda to be mistaken for fact.

    “We wish to state unequivocally that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was not called neither was he arrested by the EFCC because his hands are clean. ‎

    “We call on all our teaming supporters across Edo state, especially the very conscious PDP delegates to disregard such news fabricated by those who through fear of the emergence of Ize-Iyamu and his eventual victory at the polls have made themselves captives of the unknown but continue to support us in a bid to vacate the APC from Edo state and begin a process of repositioning our state through transparent, effective and accountable governance that will improve the living standards and social wellbeing of our people. This is our priority and we would not entertain any distraction from those unprepared and unfit to lead in such a time as this.”