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Tag: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

  • Mark to EFCC: You are chasing shadow

    Mark to EFCC: You are chasing shadow

    Former Senate President, Senator David Mark Tuesday described the accusations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that he purchased his Apo Residential House illegally as spurious, contrived and baseless.

    Senator Mark in a statement by his media assistant, Paul Mumeh, said that the EFCC or any other agent of Government is chasing shadows “because the property was duly offered for sale, bided for, and he purchased like any other person would in line with Federal Government’s Monetization Policy that was started during the time of President Olusegun Obasanjo.”

    Mark said “I had the right of first refusal. Even if I did not purchase it, someone else would have.

    “I am a law-abiding citizen. I did not flout any law.

    “Curiously, four houses occupied by the then Presiding Officers of National Assembly were offered to the occupants. All of us, me as the then President of the Senate, Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole and his Deputy Bayero Nafada were all given the same offer.

    “I am at a loss as to why it is now a subject of contention.

    “If this persecution is about politics, my political party and the 2019 elections, I dare say that only God and Nigerians would decide. No amount of persecution would alter the will of God.

    “I had refrained from commenting on this because it is already in the law Court. But they have taken the matter to the Court of public opinion.”

    It said that Senator Mark through his lawyer Ken Ikonne in the suit NO FHC/ABJ/1037/2017 before the Federal High Court, Abuja had said that he followed due process and legally acquired the property from the FCDA on April 27, 2011.

    Senator Mark is also asking the Court for a declaration that an order by the Attorney General of the Federation and one Obono Obla of the Presidential Task Force on Recovery of Government Properties compelling him to vacate the aforesaid property without affording him a fair hearing, amounted to a denial of his fundamental human rights, unconstitutional and void.

    He recalled that the Federal Executive Council decided to authorize the sale of the properties housing the principal officers of the National Assembly because the general security of the area had been altered/compromised due to the sale of the other houses in the Legislative Quarters to the public.

    Consequent upon which the houses were offered for sale and duly purchased.

    Senator Mark was given the first option of refusal upon which he duly accepted on April 21st 2011 and paid the agreed purchase price to the adhoc committee on sale of Federal Government houses on April 27, 2011.

  • Stop intimidating PDP leaders, Secondus tells FG

    Stop intimidating PDP leaders, Secondus tells FG

    The national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has alleged harassment of opposition figures by the All Progressives Congress (PDP) led Federal Government.

    Secondus was reacting to the ongoing investigation of the immediate past President of the Senate, David Mark by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The party chair, who spoke at the Abuja secretariat of the PDP on Tuesday, alleged harassment of the former Senate President by the anti-graft agency, saying such treatment, amounted to injustice.

    Mark is currently undergoing investigation over his alleged role in the disbursement of election funds in 2015 and the purchase of his official residence while he was Senate President.

    The government had indicated interest in the said building located within the Apo Legislative Quarters and had issued Mark with quit notice.

    But Secondus insisted that the investigation was part of a grand plan by the ruling APC to continue to harass and intimidate prominent opposition figures with the view to frustrating them and dampening their morale ahead of the 2019 general election.

    The chairman said, “Enough is enough. All over the world there is no place a former Senate President can be treated the way David Mark is being treated. They have failed and they know Nigerians know it.

    All they do now is to attack and harass the opposition. Don’t attack the opposition. That is injustice. Concentrate on fulfilling your promises to the people. Enough of this.

    We are not in a military era. God does not sleep. What you serve others, is what you will be served with. We handed over freely in 2015. APC should also be ready to handover without intimidation.

    “Nigerians will vote and kick out APC with their voter cards. Stop intimidation of our leaders. We will no longer take it.  People in power should be very careful because power will come and go”.

    Secondus called on opposition members to rise to the challenge of unseating the APC in 2019, stressing that they should not harbour any pessimism in the task of reclaiming power in the next election.

    Speaking at a two-day retreat from elected officials of the PDP at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, blamed the party’s defeat in the 2015 general elections on lack of internal democracy, which he said manifested in the forms of imposition of candidates and disregard for the party’s constitution.

    Ekweremadu said, “Another election year is by the corner. The new NWC must ensure that the party does not repeat past mistakes. We must return power to the people, as our name and slogan rightly demand of us. This will not only reassure Nigerians that we are indeed an improved and rebranded PDP, but will also encourage the massive return of former party faithful.

    “Furthermore, the public will evaluate our commitment to end corruption and promote accountability and transparency by the way we handle internal party affairs.

    “We have a history of fighting corruption and our systems must be corruption-free. This should stand us out as the only hope to eradicate corruption in Nigeria. The PDP established the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

    “We saw to the enactment of the Freedom of Information Act and introduction of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), Treasury Single Account (TSA), and the Biometric Verification Number (BVN). The PDP also ensured that the Civil Society Organisations and the press flourished to promote an accountable and open society.

    “There was no effort by the PDP to tame the Non-Governmental Organisations or the use of the social media. Importantly, we beamed the anti-graft searchlight on our own members to demonstrate that there must be no sacred cows in the war against graft.

    “Therefore, we must conduct our affairs in a way that reassure Nigerians that under the incoming PDP administration, we will not only consolidate on all these track record, but will also firmly eradicate corruption from 2019”.

    The Deputy Senate President identified the choice of the party’s presidential candidate for 2019 as one of the biggest challenges confronting the PDP, stressing that the fate and political fortunes of the party would depend on the party’s presidential candidate.

    “The party must, therefore, identify a candidate with the credentials, reach, charisma, competence, and popularity to outmatch any candidate presented by the ruling APC and any other parties for that matter.

    “The party’s leadership should encourage every interested and qualified member to vie for the ticket in a free, fair, and credible party primary. Let the best candidate emerge”.

    The Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson who also attended the event, assured that the party was already making progress in its reconciliation efforts.

    Dickson, who chairs the reconciliation committee of the PDP, said all the aggrieved aspirants in the party’s just concluded national convention would be appeased.

    According to him, he had been able to plead with Prof Taoheed Adedoja, one of the aggrieved chairmanship candidates in the just concluded convention to seek out of court settlement with the party.

    Adedoja has dragged the party’s leadership to court, seeking the cancellation of the convention and also asking the court to sack Secondus as national chairman.

    Meanwhile, the PDP has fixed a meeting with all defeated aspirants in the just concluded convention for the scone week in January 2018.

    The party’s spokesman, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan who made the announcement in his remarks at the retreat assured that all the complaints of the aggrieved aspirants will be addressed at the meeting.

  • EFCC arrests Innoson motors boss

    EFCC arrests Innoson motors boss

    The Chairman/Managing Director of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company (IVM), Chief Innocent Chukwuma was Tuesday arrested by security operatives attached to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    He was whisked from his Enugu residence. As at the time of filling this report, the reason behind his arrest was yet to be ascertained.

    It was gathered that the EFCC operatives and other heavily armed policemen arrived the residence of the IVM owner at Savage Crescent, GRA, Enugu at about  7:30am and took him him away.

    Security men at the residence of Chukwuma had initially refused the EFCC operatives entry, a development that led to the firing of teargas by the policemen from the EFCC.

    The operatives, it was gathered later succeeded in gaining access to the building after overpowering Chukwuma’s security men and arrested him.

  • It’s cheaper to prevent corruption than fight it – Magu

    It’s cheaper to prevent corruption than fight it – Magu

    Mr Ibrahim Magu, Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it is cheaper to prevent corruption than to fight it.

    Magu said this on Thursday during the Anti-Corruption Sensitisation Programme organised for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Aviation Sector Workers Abuja.

    He said that section six of the EFCC Act required the commission to, in addition to its enforcement responsibilities, take measures to prevent economic and financial crimes.

    Magu explained that part of such preventive measures was an aggressive sensitisation campaign, public enlightenment and education in both public and private sectors.

    The essence, according to him, is to improve workplace consciousness of corruption and its corrosive effects and encourage workers to embrace them.

    “The EFCC alone couldn’t fight and win the war against corruption in Nigeria.

    “I would like to seize this opportunity to remind us that, corruption affects all of us.

    “We must resolve to fight it to a standstill in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s admonition to us that, “If we don`t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.

    “We must not allow that to happen, for the sake of our children and the unborn generation.’’

    Magu said that the airport, as the most important gateway into the country, was strategic in many ways.

    He said that since airport was foreigners’ first contact with Nigeria, the impression they formed about the country would be largely informed by the conduct of aviation professionals.

    According to Magu, this is why the conduct of aviation professionals is key to the efforts at national rebirth, especially the critical economic mandate of attracting foreign direct investment into the economy.

    He enjoined aviation workers to erase practices, attitudes and behaviours that could cast a slur on the nation’s reputation, thereby making Nigeria an unattractive destination for both tourists and investors.

    The EFCC boss called on the management of FAAN to put screening and monitoring systems in place to ensure that airport staff delivered service to the best international practices.

    “As things stand, except we delude ourselves, we cannot deny that the twin evil of corruption and poor infrastructure have blighted our aviation industry.

    “Our presence here today is to bring the message of anti-corruption to the management and staff of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other aviation workers.

    “In recent times, many cases of corruption have been reported in the sector, ranging from misuse of funds, bribery, extortion to abuse of authority by officials at the airports.

    “The implication of this is the compelling need to strengthen our key integrity systems by consciously eliminating practices that promote corrupt tendencies in the public sectors.

    “It is gratifying that FAAN has inaugurated its Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) to ensure transparency, accountability and good ethical practices,’’ he said.

    Magu, while commending the management of FAAN for the steps taken to prevent corruption, also advised the staff to familiarise themselves with the EFCC Act and other laws affecting their duties.

    He said that the Commission was determined more than ever before to rid all government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs of all forms of fraudulent activities.

    According to him, FAAN in collaboration with the EFCC can fight corruption effectively.

    The Managing Director of FAAN, Mr Saleh Dunoma, commended EFCC for the initiative to take anti-corruption campaign to the airport, saying that the airport was the best choice.

    Dunoma said that FAAN was determined to collaborate with EFCC in the fight against corruption especially in the aviation sector.

    He also called on the agency to sustain the sensitisation campaign by ensuring that all the airports in the country were covered as well as training of intelligence unit of aviation security on anti-corruption.

    Dunoma urged the participants to pay attention to the presentation by the EFCC to help equip them to support actively in the fight against corruption.

  • Ekiti Assembly vs EFCC: Court delivers Judgment Jan 24

    Ekiti Assembly vs EFCC: Court delivers Judgment Jan 24

    A Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has fixed 24th January, 2018 for judgment on the suit filed by the Ekiti State House of Assembly against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ).

    The Assembly filed the suit to restrain the anti-graft agency from launching a probe into its finances.

    The state legislators led by Speaker Kola Oluwawole headed to the court seeking reliefs to stop the EFCC from arresting or detaining them from performing their functions.

    Justice Taiwo Taiwo, at the court’s sitting on Wednesday, set the date for the judgment after counsel to all parties adopted their briefs of argument.

    Counsel to the Assembly, Mr. Peter Nwatu argued that the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides for separation of power among the three arms of government.

    He contended that there was no reason for a federal agency, as represented by the EFCC, to interfere in the business of a legislative arm of government established by the Constitution.

    According to him, the Constitution is supreme over any agency of the federation including the EFCC on how funds are disbursed to the Assembly or how they are being appropriated.

    Counsel to EFCC, Mr A. Akoja argued that agencies such as EFCC cannot be restricted from performing their statutory duties.

    He urged the court to dismiss the suit filed by the plaintiffs for lacking merit.

  • FG, EFCC stopped from crippling AITEO operations

    FG, EFCC stopped from crippling AITEO operations

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, restrained the Federal Government from taking steps that may cripple the operations and freezing the accounts of AITEO Eastern E & P Company Limited.

    Justice Gabriel Kolawole made the order after he entertained an ex parte motion filed by Mike Ozekhome (SAN) on behalf of the company.

    AITEO, a Limited Liability Company, is a major player in the upstream sector of the Nigeria’s oil industry.

    It is also a joint operator of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29, an asset which is jointly owned by the firm and the Federal Government through the NNPC, which subscribes 55 per cent of the said asset.

    The ex-parte application is seeking an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants from interfering with or obstructing the business operations of the company.

    The defendants in the case are Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Arguing the motion, Ozekhome urged the court to make a preservative order for maintenance of the “status quo’’.

    He said this was in order to stop the defendants from taking any steps prejudicial to the business concerns and activities of his client.

    Ozekhome argued that if a preservative order was not made immediately against the defendants, recent developments showed that the EFCC could spring surprises by freezing accounts of the company or sealing it.

    In his ruling, Kolawole ordered the Federal Government to maintain the “status quo” pending the determination of the motion on notice filed by AITEO against the defendants.

    He further ordered the AGF and the EFCC to show cause on Dec. 18 why the reliefs sought by the plaintiff in the motion ex parte should not be granted.

    He adjourned the matter until Dec. 18.

  • Kashamu urges delegates to reject candidates undergoing trial

    Kashamu urges delegates to reject candidates undergoing trial

    Ahead of Saturday’s national convention of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the senator representing Ogun-East senatorial district, Buruji Kashamu has called on party delegates, leaders and stakeholders to reject candidates undergoing corruption trial at the various courts.

    In a statement he issued in Abuja on Thursday, the senator warned that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was planning to arrest some of the candidates with corruption cases.

    Kashamu said, “While it is true that an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty, our great party cannot afford to close its eyes to this potential threat.

    “It is a no-brainer that if a national chairman with a corruption case is elected, the party will literally be put on trial with him.

    “This is one avoidable risk that is too much to take. You can be sure that a corruption trial of the national chairman of an opposition party will come with a lot of bad publicity that will sound the death knell the party”.

    Kashamu pleaded with delegates and stakeholders, particularly those from the Southeast, to support the quest by the Southwest to produce the national chairman in the interest of equity and justice.

    “Our brothers and sisters from the Southeast need to be categorical now in support of the Southwest on the ongoing national chairmanship tussle between the Southwest and the Southsouth.

    ”The implication of this avoidable tussle is to make uncertain the settled Southeast vice-presidential quest in 2019. If the Southeast expectedly takes a principled stance in support of the Southwest, naturally as a reliable race in adherence to agreements, the Yoruba people would reciprocate without any prompting.

    “What is currently happening is glaringly an orchestrated assault on the Southwest to end up with nothing in 2019, just like we did when our party was in power. This is a dangerously illogical political permutation for 2019 national elections”, the senator added.

    Kashamu said without prejudice to the right of others to seek elective positions at the convention, he however said such should not be done at the expense of established norms and agreements.

    The senator said, “Without prejudice to anybody’s right to aspire for party positions, it is an open secret that the PDP national chairmanship had been conceded to the Southwest pre-Port Harcourt convention.

    “It was because of this that the other positions zoned to the Southwest are innocuous deputies to substantive offices except the National Treasurer.

    “All these are because of the fact that the national chairmanship had already been conceded to the Southwest.

    “It is in the light of the above that I wish to reiterate my call on our notable leaders, elders and delegates to put the interest of democracy and the future of our great party above any pecuniary interest or considerations. This is the time we have to rebrand our party and reposition it”.

  • Court orders forfeiture of N28m, property ‘stolen’ by Lagos director

    Court orders forfeiture of N28m, property ‘stolen’ by Lagos director

    The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the temporary forfeiture of N28.5million allegedly stolen by a Director of Accounts in the Lagos State Public Works Corporation (LSPWC) Mr Anifowoshe Muhammed Jamiu Alade.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said the sum recovered from him “is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity to wit: stealing.”

    Justice Rilwan Aikawa ordered the interim forfeiture to the Federal Government of properties recovered from Alade.

    They include six flats of three bedroom, six flats of two bedroom, six flats of one Bedroom at Adewale Osiyeku Street, Offin-Ile Igbogbo, Ikorodu, and four flats of three bedroom duplex at 6, Tunde Gabby Close, Dopemu Area Pako Bus Stop Agege, all of which EFCC said were “reasonably suspected to have been acquired with the proceeds of theft”.

    Other properties forfeited to the Federal Government are a plot of land at Queen’s Garden Estate, off Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, a semi-detached three bedroom flat and one unit of three bedroom terrace at Cranbel Court, Citiview Estate Arepo, Ogun State.

    Justice Aikawa directed EFCC to notify Alade to appear before the court and show cause within 14 days why the properties should not be forfeited to the Federal Government.

    “The money and properties sought to be attached are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of an unlawful activities stolen, diverted and retained by the respondent (Alade) from the Public Works Corporation, Lagos State,” EFCC said.

    The commission said Alade, being a Director of Account in the corporation, was “the custodian, initiator, first authoriser and final authoriser of the corportation’s internet banking system”.

    EFCC said the respondent allegedly incorporated a company called MAJ Anny International Limited, of which he is a director and signatory to its account.

    In a supporting affidavit, the commission’s operative Zayyanu Halliru, said: “We traced to the respondent the sum of N106,095,960.00 which sums he fraudulently stole from Public Works Corporation, Lagos State to his personal account No. 0015893001 domiciled in Guaranty Trust Bank and converted same to his personal use.

    “We traced to the respondent the sum of N223, 373,475.00 which sums he fraudulently stole from Public Works Corporation, Lagos State to MAJ Anny International Limited being his company account domiciled in Zenith Bank.

    “The respondent used part of the proceeds of crime allegedly stolen from Public Work Corporation, Lagos State to purchase and acquire properties

    “Out of the stolen funds highlighted above, the respondent purchased two properties from a company called Property Mart Real Estate Investment Limited in the sum of N37, 740,000.00. Out of the above, we have recovered the sum of N28, 500,000.00

    “The sums and the building highlighted above are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities stolen from the Public Work Corporation, Lagos State.

    “The order of this court is needed to forfeit this aforementioned sums and the building to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

    Justice Aikawa adjourned till January 16.

     

     

  • Ex-Minister gets court’s nod to treat breast cancer abroad

    Ex-Minister gets court’s nod to treat breast cancer abroad

    The Federal High Court in Lagos Tuesday permitted former Finance Minister (state) Senator Nenadi Usman to treat herself abroad for breast cancer.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arraigned her and former Minister of Aviation Chief Femi Fani-Kayode for alleged N4.6billion laundering and fraud.

    They were re-arraigned along with a former National Chairman of the Association of Local Government in Nigeria (ALGON) Yusuf Danjuma, and a company, Jointrust Dimensions Ltd.

    They pleaded not guilty to the 17-count charge of money laundering.

    Mrs Usman applied through her lawyer Chief Ferdinand Orbih (SAN) to the court to release her International Passport to enable her travel overseas on December 18 for cancer treatment.

    She said she wished to be away for 45 days, promising not to jump bail.

    EFCC’s lawyer Rotimi Oyedepo did not oppose the application. He said: “I will leave it to the court’s overriding discretion.”

    Justice Rilwan Aikawa granted the application and directed Usman to submit her International Passport to the court’s Deputy Registrar once she returns.

    According him, there would be dire consequences if she fails to comply with the directive.

    The court earlier admitted Fani-Kayode’s bank account statement in evidence.

    He dismissed the defendants’ objections that statement did not comply with Section 90 (1) (1)(1-iv) of the Evidence Act.

    The judge held that the prosecution complied with the section.

    Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Nenadi Esther Usman, Femi Fani-Kayode, Danjuman Yusuf And Jointrust Dimentions Nigeria Ltd on or about the 8th day of January, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to indirectly retain the sum of N1, 500, 000,000.00 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing.”

    The defendants were also accused of indirectly retaining N300million, N400million and N800million, all proceeds of corruption, according to EFCC, which added that the allegedly offence was committed between January 8 and March 25, 2015 ahead of the general election.

    Justice Aikawa adjourned until January 31, 2018.

  • Court orders temporary forfeiture of ‘Diezani’s $4.760m property’

    Court orders temporary forfeiture of ‘Diezani’s $4.760m property’

    The Federal High Court in Lagos Tuesday ordered the temporary forfeiture of two penthouses valued at $4.760m allegedly belonging to former Petroleum Resources Minister Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke.

    The properties are: Penthouse 21, Building 5, Block C, 11th floor (Bella Vista Estate) Banana Island, Ikoyi, and Penthouse 22, Block B (Admiralty Estate) also in Ikoyi, Lagos.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun ordered that they be forfeited to the Federal Government.

    She ruled on an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The order, the judge said, is to subsist pending the conclusion of EFCC’s investigation on the properties’ ownership.

    EFCC said they are reasonably suspected to have been acquired with “proceeds or crime”.

    Mrs Alison-Madueke, Donald Amangbo, Schillenburg LLC and Sequoyah Property Limited are the respondents.

    The commission said the companies in whose names the companies were acquired belong to the former minister.

    Justice Olatoregun also granted an injunction against any disposal, conveyance, mortgaging, lease, sale or alienation of the properties.

    EFCC’s lawyer Anselm Ozioko said the application was based on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and Section 44(2)(b) and(k) of the 1999 Constitution.

    An investigator, Abdulrasheed Bawa, who deposed to a supporting affidavit to the ex-parte motion, said sometime in 2016, a search warrant was executed at Amangbo’s premises.

    He said Amangbo was “an acquaintance of former Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs Alison Madueke.”

    The investigator said one of the documents recovered from Amamgbo led the operatives to the Deputy Managing Director YF Construction Development and Real Estate Limited, Mr. Fadi Basbous.

    The deponent said Basbous made a statement where he stated that the two properties were sold at $3.570million and $1.194 million and are owned by Sequoyah Properties Limited and Schillenburg LLC.

    Bawa said the properties were paid for by Mrs Angela Jide-Jones and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited.
    According to him, Mrs  Jide-Jone was married to Mrs Alison-Madueke’s associate, Jide Omokore, who registered and promoted Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept.

    The EFCC investigator said Omokore paid for the properties through his wife, Angela.

    According to the operative, Omokore allegedly directed the developer (seller) to sign the agreements with Schillenburg LLC and Sequoyah Properties.

    The deponent said Schillenburg LLC was registered in Hongkong and was transferred on March 30, 2012, to Amamgbo as sole owner.

    According to the EFCC investigator, Amamgbo stated in his statement that he incorporated Schillenburg LLC and handed it over to Mrs. Alison-Madueke “for a transaction”.

    The deponent added that Sequoyah Properties “is among 18 companies registered by Donald Chid Amangbo for holding the properties of Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke”.