The Nation Newspaper

Tag: EFCC

  • N950m Fraud: Shekarau, two others detained

    …Arraigned in Court Thursday

     

    Former Governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau was on Wednesday detained at the Kano Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) along with two others.

    Shekarau was detained along with former Minister of foreign Affairs Ambassador Aminu Wali and former Director General, Goodluck Jonathan Campaign, North zone, Engr. Mansur Ahmad for alleged criminal conspiracy and money laundering.

    The PDP presidential aspirant and immediate past minister of education and two other were quizzed for over an hour and released on Tuesday at the EFCC office for their alleged involvement in sharing N950million funds earmarked for 2015 elections.

    Read Also: Alleged fraud: Ex-minister applies for change of counsel

    However, Shekarau and the two others were against invited on Wednesday by the EFCC where they were subsequently detained and billed to be arraigned today before the Federal high court, Kano.

    Shekarau is accused of collecting N25million from the N950million and were here again to honor their invitation where him and two others now in EFCC custody.

    security has been at the zonal office of the commission.where shekarau and two other will pass the night.

  • Alleged fraud: Ex-minister applies for change of counsel

    A former Minister of National Planning, Prof. Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman, on Wednesday applied to a Federal High court to change his counsel, Chief Tunji Ayanlaja( SAN).

    Sulaiman is standing trial with a former governorship candidate in Kwara State, Mr. Muhammad Dele Belgore, for alleged fraud.

    They were accused of taking possession of the N450million when they reasonably ought to have known that the funds were proceeds from an unlawful purpose and for disbursing those funds to various people.

    Both have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    But at the resumption of the trial on Wednesday, the ex-minister appeared before Justice Rilwan Aikawa without his counsel.

    Sulaiman informed the court that he had instructed a new counsel, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), to act for him but the new counsel informed him that he was otherwise engaged with another matter in court.

    But the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, nevertheless pressed the court for the trial to continue.

     

  • Magu now leads Commonwealth Africa anti-corruption agencies

    Nigeria, represented by the Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has been appointed the new Chairman of Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa, comprising 19 countries.

    The appointment was announced at the 8th Regional Conference of the body which ended in Abuja on Friday.

    The group said in a communique that the members resolved to deepen collaboration on asset tracking and recovery.

    It expressed concern about the heavy losses that Africa was suffering as a result of illegal transfers of proceeds of corruption and crime.

    To effectively tackle the challenge, the body stressed the need for synergy among member countries.

    “African countries should strengthen cooperation and partnership in the tracing, recovery and return of assets in accordance with Article 54 of the United Nations Convention against Corruption and Article 16 of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption.’’

    The group underscored the importance of whistleblowing in the fight against corruption, asset recovery and return and urged African countries to enact strong whistleblowing legislations and provide protection for whistleblowers.

    Nigeria introduced the whistleblowing policy in December 2016 as part of efforts toward achieving the goals of the fight against corruption.

    Anti-corruption agencies from member countries, however, appealed to judicial and prosecuting authorities to support and fast-track prosecution of corruption cases.

    “Anti-corruption agencies in Africa should explore innovative ways of delivering public education, awareness and sensitisation messages to the general public about tracing and recovering of assets,’’ the group said.

    It appreciated the invaluable support and warm hospitality provided by the Federal Government, EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission  and the people of Nigeria.

    Meanwhile, Uganda has been nominated to host the 2019 conference in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, the spokesperson for EFCC, announced in a statement. (NAN)

  • N5bn fraud: Supreme Court orders Akingbola to face trial

    The Supreme Court on Friday ordered a former Managing Director of the defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc, Dr. Erastus Akingbola, to face trial for alleged N5bn fraud charges.

    A five-man panel of the apex court led by Justice Tanko Muhammad, unanimously affirmed the February 2015 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which overturned the Federal High Court’s decision to strike out the charges.

    Justice Sidi Bage, who read the lead judgment, said Akingbola’s appeal challenging the Court of Appeal’s verdict lacked merit.

    He ordered that the case be taken back to the Federal High Court in Lagos, handled by another judge and given “expeditions trial.”

    The trial was stopped by Justice Charles Archibong, who struck out the 26-count charge, in April 2012.

    He held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was not diligent in the handling of the case.

    The judge also described the EFCC prosecution team as a drain in the public purse and directed the then Attorney-General of the Federation to disband the team.

    Justice Archibong was later sent on compulsory retirement by the National Judicial Council (NJC) over the decision.

  • Businessman arraigned over N26m fraud

    A businessman, Charles Ihenetu, was on Wednesday arraigned at the Ikeja Special Offences Court for alleged N26 million fraud.

    Ihenetu was remanded in prison till June 20.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Ihenetu for allegedly obtaining N26 million under false pretence from one Mr. Osaduwa Amechi.

    He was arraigned alongside his company, V-Choice International Company Nigeria Limited, before Justice Mojisola Dada.

    They are facing a three- count charge of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence.

    Prosecuting counsel, Zainab Ettu, said the offence was contrary to section 8 (a),and 1(1)(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud  Related Offences Act, No 14 of 2006 and punishable under same.

     

  • EFCC may re-arrest Pastor Ize-Iyamu

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it may re-arrest Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu since he was not in court to be arraigned along others over alleged money laundering charges.

    It said it would get in touch with Pastor Ize-Iyamu’s surety on the administrative bail and make effort to re-arrest him.

    Counsel to the EFCC, L.P Aso spoke on Wednesday in Benin City where Pastor Ize-Iyamu and four others were to be arraigned before a Federal High Court for allegedly laundering the sum of N700m.

    Others to be arraigned were former Deputy Governor, Mr, Lucky Imasuen,  former member of the House of Representatives, Tony Azegbemi and Efe Anthony.

    Former Chairman, Board of Trustee of the PDP, Chief Tony was listed in the charges but was said to be at large.

    The absence of Pastor Ize-Iyamu and Chief Orbih stalled the arraignment as the EFCC Counsel told the court that it was the duty of the Commission to produce the accused persons and not for the accused persons to bring themselves to court.

    Aso informed the court that all the accused persons have filed application for bail and asked for the court to adjourn to enable the EFCC produce all the defendants in court.

    In the charges preferred against Pastor Ize-Iyamu and others, the EFCC accused them of taking possession and control of the sum of N700m without any contract award which they ought to know the money from part of an unlawful act.

    They were alleged to have make cash payment of N60,650,000 to one Henry Tenebe of Estako West local government and N61,647,000 to one Momoh Andrew Ojo of Akoko-Edo without going through a financial institution.

    In count five, six and seven, they were alleged to have make cash payment of N83,473,000, N125,993,000 and N105,000,000 to Deacon Ezekiel Egharevba, Thomas Aroko and Scott Osagiede respectively without going through a financial institution.

    Counsel to Pastor Ize-Iyamu and Chief Orbih, Ikide Chiehelua and Chief Ferdinand Orbih told the court their clients travelled outside the country.

    They promised that their clients were prepared to face trials and would be back by Tuesday next week.

    Chief Orbih said, “I have his instruction that he will be back to answer to the charges. He is ready and willing to defend himself. His absence is not bourne out of disrespect of the court. He was not served about the arraignment. He lone heard about it and he instructed me to appear for him.”

    It would be recalled that the EFCC had first quizzed them in 2016 for collecting N700m out the $115m Allison Maduekwe bribe money.

    Imasuen had told newsmen then that he was only invited to a branch of Fidelity Bank to witness collection of the money and that the money was taken to the House of a PDP leader where it was shared.

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu explained that he did not touch a kobo out of the money and that he gave the EFCC list of those that signed as the money was being shared.

    Read Also: EFCC arrests 12 ‘fraudsters’ in Lagos

    Chief Orbih said told newsmen then that he told EFCC interrogators that there was no way he could have questioned the source of the money or know whether the money was stolen.

    He said the N700m was judiciously expended to the satisfaction of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    According to him, “It is a standard practice all over the world for political parties to raise money for election.”

    “The money we received was sent to us from Abuja and we believe it was was from the money realized from the fund raising dinner.”

    “Edo State PDP was not in a position to know where the came from.”

    The case was adjourned to June 11, 2018 for arraignment.

  • EFCC has recovered over N500 billion, says Magu

    •Buhari: I was ousted as military ruler for fighting corruption

    For Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu, it was time yesterday to give account of his stewardship.

    Speaking before an audience of dignitaries, including President Muhammadu Buhari and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara and Commonwealth Secretary General Baroness Patricia Scotland, Magu said the EFCC had recovered over N500billion from looters between November 2005 when he took office and now. Besides, 486 convictions have been secured.

    The President twice presented Magu’s name for confirmation. He was rejected by the Senate but the Presidency said he remained the best man for the job.

    Magu spoke in Abuja during the inauguration of the N24-billion new headquarters of the anti-graft agency.

    He said: “In 2018 alone, we have secured 89 convictions. Thus so far, we have secured 486 convictions from November 2015 till date.  We have recovered funds in different currencies and, so far, we have recovered more than N500 billion.

    “The recoveries meant for the Federal Government are duly remitted to its account while recoveries for individuals and private institutions are equally paid to them in accordance with the law.

    “We are also making strides as it relates to the prosecution of high-profile cases. For instance, for the first time in the history of Nigeria, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria was convicted in a case prosecuted by the EFCC.

    “I, therefore, again, restate the commitment of the Commission to the fight against corruption.

    “We do not go after innocent citizens, we go after those who have stolen and arrogated same to themselves, like President Buhari has said.”

    Magu said the Federal Government had recovered and was still recovering trillions of naira stolen in the past few years by “people without conscience”.

    President Buhari said his administration never engaged in witch-hunt in its anti-corruption war.

    He urged Nigerians to change their ways of handling public trust and pleaded with the Judiciary to continue to collaborate with the Executive to bring corrupt people to book.

    He also told the audience that he was ousted from office as a military leader in a palace coup in August 1985 for fighting corruption.

    President Buhari, who ruled between January 1, 1984 and August 27,1985 as Head of State, was overthrown in a coup led by then Chief of Army Staff Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and subsequently detained. Gen. Babangida replaced him and ruled the country till he stepped aside on August 27, 1993.

    He said although the corrupt would always fight back, he would not be intimidated, adding that the Federal Government was determined to make a success of it.

    “War of corruption is not an easy one to fight, because it affects so many different branches of our lives, so much that some people do not even consider breaking trust is anymore a crime. It has become the norm. That is why we must fight this attitude and encourage Nigerians to change their attitudes and perspectives,” Buhari said.

    He went on: “The goal of this Administration is to ensure the protection of public trust, and the anti-corruption war is at its centre. We never intended, and we are not engaged in witch-hunt, but we are determined within the laws to call people to account.

    “It is for this reason that we appeal to Nigerians to support regulatory agencies, like Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, because fighting corruption is everyone’s concern. I call on the Judiciary and the National Assembly to join hands in this national effort.

    “  I am glad to note that quite a number of nations are signifying interest to help us tighten their laws and enter into agreements with Nigeria to repatriate not only stolen funds but to make the culprits face due process of law.

    “We are committed to working with our foreign friends to stop the inflow of stolen funds from Nigeria into their countries and recovering what is there already.  These assets, when repatriated will be put to building our infrastructure.”

    “My first attempt to fight corruption, corruption fought back successfully. I was removed from office and detained for three years,” the president said.

    Buhari said with the anti-graft war by his administration, everyone now knows that corrupt officials will be held to account no matter how long it takes.

    He said: “This is another milestone in our determined and collective fight against corruption. Throughout my journey in national service and since 2015, I have made a very conscious decision to pursue a vigorous fight against corruption in public life.

    “Since 2015, we have made significant progress in the fight against corruption. Everyone now knows that corrupt officials will be held to account, no matter how long it takes.

    “We have recovered and are still recovering trillions of naira that were stolen in the past few years by people without conscience.

    “We are pursuing recoveries everywhere and are making sure that anyone who has been found culpable is made to answer for his or her crime under the law.”

    He said although the completion of the complex was significant, it is also a sign of Nigerians’ resolve to fight corruption.

    Baroness Scotland said Nigeria was on the right track in its fight against corruption.

    She said: “We hope that this building will not only take the angels but will send all the corrupt [persons] to where they rightly belong.”

    Dogara said: “I had said with the commitment of the President to fight corruption, anyone who had gone to the former Head Office of the EFCC as if you’re a foreigner visiting Nigeria for the very first time, the impression you’d leave with is that the fight is a joke because we didn’t have a building that represented the seriousness with which the fight against corruption was attached.

    “I am happy to say to Mr. President that by this singular effort, he has demonstrated that he has put his money where his mouth is. I am happy to say that it’s through the support of the National Assembly that funds were put together to complete this institution and I can assure you of our continued commitment to supporting the fight against corruption.

    “ So emphasis must now be moved to those wonderful men and women who are sacrificing so much in order to ensure the war is sustained and won.

    “We expect that the officers of the EFCC should be angels;  that is not a misplaced expectation, except for the reminder that angels live in heaven; they don’t live in hell.

    “When you have an angel banished to hell, he’s now a demon, and demons cannot lead this fight. The last thing I will say is that this is perhaps the most important venue from which we must begin to change the narrative about corruption in Nigeria.

    “ The Chairman made a statement about a reference that was made of Nigeria as a fantastically corrupt country. Incidentally, that statement was made in a city that is the home of the inflow of a lot of illicit funds.

    ‘The person also stated that Nigeria leads the world in criminal enterprise, In fact, that in the university … you can study and major in credit card fraud. That’s the narrative out there, but that must change due to the fact that we have sitting before us here a President who has won global acclaim as being corrupt-free. I can tell you that he is not alone in Nigeria; there are millions of Nigerians that we come across day by day who are corrupt free.

  • Don’t spare our leaders, Soyinka tells EFCC

    Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka yesterday urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-corruption agencies not to spare corrupt leaders.

    He said the nation cannot win the war against graft until justice catches up with the corrupt

    Soyinka, who made his views known at the opening ceremony of the eighth Commonwealth Regional Conference for Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Africa, said corrupt leaders should get ready to go down in status when justice catches up with them

    He said: “That we have been bled dry in this nation by corrupt leadership and their agencies is nothing to reiterate. It is a given. And I took the trouble yesterday to visit the headquarters of the EFCC. I wanted to see what would be the mode of hospitality of some of our leaders who will surely, sooner or later, pass through the doors of that beautiful building.

    “I am not a vengeful person but I think until we ensure that some of our leaders pass through those doors, this struggle against corruption in this country will not be won, will not be over.

    “And so, I spoke to Magu and I said I want to see where the presidential wing is. I said as a human rights person, I want to make sure you treat them right when they come here and he said ‘sorry it is an egalitarian institution and I said I would take that message back to them that they should get ready to go down a little bit in status when the time comes and justice catches up with them.”

    The Nobel laureate said for now, the responsibility of anti-corruption agencies should be to recover the rest of Nigeria’s stolen funds which could be used for development.

     

    He added: “For now, your responsibility I believe is to help us recover the rest of the loot which is still flying all over the continent.”

    Soyinka also queried the status of million dollars donated to a neighbouring Head of State by the the late military head of State Gen. Sani Abacha.

    He said for posterity, the cash must be retrieved if it had not been done.

    “Very specific, I said a certain sum of money was taken in a night plane to the head of state of a neighbouring country and if you can just help us recover that sum, it may be 50 per cent, given the resistance, it may be about 25 per cent and that way, it will help us not only to continue the war that existed but establish a principle that corruption is not just in one country. It is a responsibility of a collective group of people to fight it.

    Many, many years later, I was justified because it became an issue in that country. I think you all know the country I am talking about. They raised a panel, explanations had to be given and up till now, I don’t know whether Nigeria has recovered the million dollars that was the figure.

    “But at least, that was an issue of problem of conscience and this is exactly what I hope will emerge from this meeting.

    A former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, recalled the circumstances of his ouster from office in 1975.

    Gowon said leaders who came after him started looting because they did not want to end up like him, who was poorer after leaving office.

    The former military head of state, who ruled from 1966-1975, recalled that he was attending a Continental summit in Ethiopia when he was ousted from power.

    He said it was his aides that contributed money for him to travel to Britain where he went on exile.

    He said: “I can assure you we did not know anything such as corruption. Yes, some of my ministers were accused of corruption but I can assure you that it was something we tried to make sure it didn’t happen especially in our public service.

    “But after I left office, in 1975 and the state in which I left office, I can assure you that apart from my salary, it was those staff that were with me during the OAU meeting that contributed their estacode to ensure that I had something to live on after I had been asked to leave office.

    “That was the only one and then I said I wish I had probably done something, made sure I had provided for the future. I think it was that experience that probably made those who came after us probably to make sure that they provided for the future and therefore, you should not blame them for doing that after the experience that I had.

    “We must really try to make sure that all our leaders elected into office do not touch the nation’s coffers. They should move away from being tempted to touch national wealth.

    “We should come up with solutions on how we can deal with this problem (corruption) and get back all the money stolen from this country for the well-being of this country and not for the good of those in office.”

    Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Walter Onnoghen, said the summit would enable leaders of anti-corruption agencies to “put heads together in an attempt to better understand the phenomenon of corruption and the canckerworm that has eaten deep into the fabrics of our country.

    “You should share ideas and

  • EFCC to arraign ex-Plateau Governor Jang today in Jos

    FORMER Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang will be arraigned today before a Jos, Plateau State High Court by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) for alleged N6.3 billion fraud.

    The senator representing Plateau North, who has been held in EFCC custody since last week, will be moved by EFCC from Abuja to Jos for the arraignment.

    The Nation gathered in Jos that Jang will be arraigned before Justice Daniel Longji on the 12 counts filed against him by the EFCC.

    The EFCC had preferred 12 charges against him over an alleged fraud amounting to about N6.3 billion.

    The ex-governor allegedly embezzled some special funds released to the state by the Central Bank of Nigeria. He was said to have done so two months to the end of his tenure as governor in 2015.

    A team of lawyers acting for the release of the senator had last week filed a motion on notice before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja in an attempt to enforce his release on bail.

    The team of lawyers comprising of Christopher Eichie, Yakubu Philemon and Kola Oseni prayed that the former governor be granted bail on health ground, claiming that the suspect is diabetic.

    Apart from asking for his unconditional bail, the legal team is asking the court to order the EFCC to pay Jang N500 million as damages for his detention without trial and to offer him public apology in two national newspapers.

     

     

     

  • N6.3bn fraud: Senator Jang to be arraigned by EFCC Monday

    The immediate past governor of Plateau state and senator representing Plateau North senatorial zone, Senator Jonah Jang will be arraigned before the state high court Jos by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) for alleged N6.3 billion fraud.
    Senator Jang who has been held in EFCC custody since last week will be moved by EFCC from Abuja to Jos for the arraignment on Monday.
    The Nation gathered in Jos that Senator Jang will be arraigned before Justice Daniel Longji of Plateau State High Court in Jos on the 12-count charges filed against him by the EFCC.
    The EFCC had preferred 12 charges against him over an alleged fraud amounting to about N6.3bn.
    The ex-governor, who currently represents Plateau-North Senatorial District, allegedly embezzled some special funds released to the state by the Central Bank of Nigeria. He was said to have done so two months to the end of his tenure as governor in 2015.
    A team of lawyers acting for the release of the senator had last week filed a motion on notice before a federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Abuja in an attempt to enforce his release on bail.
    The team of lawyers comprising of Christopher Eichie, Yakubu Philemon and Kola Oseni have prayed that the former governor be granted bail on health ground claiming that the suspect is diabetic.
    Apart from asking for his unconditional bail, the legal team is asking the federal high court to order the EFCC to pay Senator Jang the sum of N500m as damages for his detention without trial and to offer him public apology in two national newspapers.
    Meanwhile youths from the state under the aegis of the Jang Support group have confirmed to The Nation that they will protest what they term “jungle justice” of the senator. They queried why the senator was detained for 1 whole week, when he has been faithful in honouring all invitations by the EFCC.