Tag: EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has obtained two separate warrants from a court to arrest a former Director-General of Department of State Service (DSS), Mr. Ita Ekpenyong and ex-Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr. Ayo Oke.

The commission also secured the nod of the court to search the residences of the two former intelligence chiefs.

Also, for the first time, the EFCC has disclosed to the court why the two former intelligence chiefs were wanted.

But some top government officials are opposed to the arrest of the two former intelligence chiefs because of the implications for the nation’s security apparatchik.

It was also learnt that some members of the diplomatic community had been anxious about the fate of Oke, who is well-respected in intelligence circles in the Western world.

According to investigation, both the search and arrest warrants were signed by a Chief Magistrate II in the Federal Capital Territory.

In the search warrant, the court said based upon information on oath and in writing there is reasonable ground for EFCC officials to enter the residences of Ekpenyong and Oke.

The warrant added: “You are hereby commanded by this state with proper assistance to enter the above named residence and premises and there diligently search for the things aforesaid and if the same or any part thereof are found to bring the things so found and also the said person before this court to be dealt according to law.

“This warrant shall be executed between the hours of five o’ clock and eight o’clock at night and may also be executed at any hour during the day or night.”

Meanwhile, the EFCC has disclosed to the court that it was after Ekpenyong and Oke for “alleged theft and diversion of public funds.”

The anti-graft agency, which made the disclosure in its application for warrant of arrest, alleged that two defendants were “invited by the EFCC but failed to honour the invitation.”

A source in the EFCC said: “We have valid warrants of search and arrest from a court of competent jurisdiction; this is why we intend to go ahead.

“We will soon release the details of all the allegations in the reports referred to us by the presidency. The reports emanated from the investigation conducted by two Presidential Investigative Committees set up by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We need to put the issues in correct perspective. The President raised a Presidential Investigative Committee on $2.1billion Arms Procurement, which was headed by AVM Jon Ode. Also, another Presidential Investigative Committee was led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on the $43.4million recovered from a flat at Osborne Towers.

“After perusing the reports, the presidency mandated the EFCC to do follow-up investigations based on the findings of the two committees.

“It is not as if the EFCC is going outside the mandate from the presidency.”

But Department of State Security Services (DSS), some top government officials and members of the kitchen cabinet of the President were allegedly opposed to the arrest of the two former intelligence chiefs.

A government official, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “No one is saying any corrupt person should be spared. I think what some of us detested is the way the EFCC was going about it as if Ekpenyong and Oke are criminals. These are intelligence officers who paid their dues while in service. Their integrity should be preserved pending the conclusion of investigation.

“It is on record that the two affected intelligence chiefs have cooperated with the EFCC so far. In fact, the EFCC has secured the permanent forfeiture of the $43.4million cash seized from Osborne Towers in Ikoyi. The DSS and some of us in government are only calling for decorum in managing their cases.

“For instance, Oke single-handedly coordinated the negotiation for the repatriation of the loot traced to the family of the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha while in the Nigerian High Commission in the United Kingdom. It was a major success recorded by the administration of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“Since the government of Buhari came on board, Oke had assisted EFCC through the NIA structure in wielding diplomatic and intelligence influence to track looted funds in jurisdictions outside Nigeria.

“The same man raised the bar of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to international standards with world class facilities. All the contracts were awarded to Julius Berger without Oke being a member of the NIA Tenders Board. And payments for all contracts were effected directly to the contractor.

“I really do not think that Oke deserves any form of humiliation. He was the only security chief who wrote a dissenting report predicting that Jonathan will lose the 2015 general elections. This was even before the poll.

“On Ekpenyong, he personally made his residential address available to EFCC in order to deliver a letter of invitation. What would have informed his arrest.

“We even learnt that he was so prudent that he left some money in billions in the account of the DSS. It is left to the EFCC to ascertain this claim.”

 

 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday said all recovered assets from the pension fraud  suspects in the police and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation are intact.

The commission also said it did not receive a single property from wanted Abdulrasheed Maina let alone 222 properties.

It also said of all the properties seized from pension fraud suspects by the EFCC, only those linked with John Yusuf had been permanently forfeited and handed over to the Federal Government.

It said all other assets, with the exception of Brifina Hotel, are subject of interim forfeiture.

The anti-graft agency said it was impossible for anybody to share a property that is subject of interim forfeiture by court

Head, Media and  Publicity of the EFCC  Mr. Wilson Uwujaren made the clarifications in a statement last night.

It said. “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) has been drawn to comments attributed to the Chairman of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee investigating the controversial reinstatement of Abdulrasheed Miana, Senator Emmanuel Paulker, alleging that officials of the Commission shared 222 properties which Maina’s Panel seized from pension fund thieves.

“This sweeping allegation, coming from a Senate Committee is disturbing more so as no attempt was made to verify the information from the Commission.

“The EFCC was never invited by the Committee and given the opportunity to educate it on the status of assets seized from suspected pension thieves; yet the Committee was comfortable to scandalize the EFCC with the public disclosure of unverified claims by unknown interests.

“For the avoidance of doubt, there are no 222 properties anywhere that were shared by anybody. The EFCC did not receive a single property from Abdulrasheed Maina. All the pension fraud assets that are in the recovered assets inventory of the Commission were products of independent investigation by the EFCC, for which Maina and his cohorts had no clues.

“If Maina or any government official witnessed the sharing of any recovered pension assets by any official of the EFCC, they should be willing to name the official, the assets involved; when and where the ‘sharing’ took place.

“As far as the EFCC is concerned, there is no controversy regarding the status of assets recovered from suspected pension thieves.

“The record of all the recovered assets from both the Police Pension and the Pension Office of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation as well as their current status are intact, and have been communicated to the relevant organs of government.

“However, in view of the consistent display of public ignorance about the profile of recovered assets by even those who should know, it is important to state that it is impossible for anybody to share a property that is subject of interim forfeiture by court. “Of all the properties seized from pension fraud suspects, it is only properties that are linked to John Yusuf, who was convicted under a plea bargain arrangement that had been forfeited permanently and handed to government.

“All the others, with the exception of Brifina Hotel, are subject of interim forfeiture. And the cases are ongoing in courts.”

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned a former Managing Director of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Umar Munir Abubakar and four others for alleged diversion of N18 billion.

The cash was said to be contribution from the Federal Government as take-off grants and Employees Compensation Scheme (ECS) for Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

The others are Henry Ekhasomi Sambo, Adebayo Adebowale Aderibigbe, Chief Richard U. Uche and Aderemi Adegboyega.

The suspects were put on trial before Justice Silvanus Orji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja, on a 26-count charge, bordering on conspiracy, abuse of office and illegal diversion of public funds.

A statement by the Head of the Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the suspects allegedly received ”kickbacks in dollars in the discharge of their duties, and conspired to divert the about N18 billion”.

The statement said: “Trouble started for Abubakar, a former managing director of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), and his co-defendants (some of whom were former board members and current staff of NSITF), when a whistleblower petitioned the EFCC, accusing them of abusing their positions to divert public funds running to billions of naira.

“Acting on the petition, EFCC operatives investigated the allegations and after thorough investigations were carried out, it was revealed that between 2012 to 2015, they received kickbacks in dollars in the discharge of their duties, and conspired to divert the about

N18 billion, being contribution from the Federal Government as take-off grants and Employees Compensation Scheme (ECS) for Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

”The said money was diverted into personal accounts by an e-payment mandate. The offence contravenes Section 311 of the Penal Code cap 532 LFN (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under Section 312 of the same code.”

One of the counts reads: “That you Umar Munir Abubakar “M” being the former managing director of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Henry Ekhasomi Sambo “M” being General Manager Finance (NSITF), Sir Adebayo Adebowale Aderibigbe “M” being General Manager Legal Department (NSITF), Chief Richard U. Uche “M” being a former board member of (NSITF), Aderemi Adegboyega “M” being a former board member of (NSITF) and Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Olejeme “F” former board chairman (NSITF) (now at large).

“On or about 2012 to 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of N18,000,000,000, being contribution from the Federal Government as take-off grants and Employees Compensation Scheme (ECS) for MDAs.”

The accused persons pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred against them.

The counsel to the EFCC, Steve Odiase, urged the court to fix a date for trial and to remand them in prison custody pending trial.

However, counsel to the defendants, J. K Kolawole, Napoleon O. Idenala, J. A. Kalu, J. C. Njikonye and Obafemi Adewale, applied for the bail of their clients and prayed the court to grant them bail on liberal terms.

After listening to the arguments, Justice Orji granted them bail.

“Each of the defendants is admitted to bail in the sum of N50 million with two sureties in like sum,” the judge ruled, adding that the two sureties should be residents in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”