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Tag: EFCC

Nobody can remove Magu as EFCC chairman – Osinbajo

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday cleared the air on the controversy surrounding the status of Ibrahim Magu as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), saying Magu cannot be removed by anybody.

Osinbajo spoke through Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai shortly before the commissioning of the EFCC zonal office in Kaduna.

This came just as the EFCC chief called for establishment of special prison for corrupt Nigerians in Sambisa forest.

Osinbajo said he held talks with President Muhammadu Buhari on the issue, adding that the President insisted that Magu would remain the EFCC chairman.

The acting President said: “We have every confidence in Magu to fight corruption to a standstill. He would remain the EFCC chairman as long as I remain the acting President and as well as Muhammadu Buhari remains the President.

“It is our belief that Magu would continue to remain a nightmare for corrupt people for years to come.

In his welcome address, Governor El-Rufai said he had recovered over N500 million from corrupt past government officials and contractors without anybody knowing.

He, however, added that those corrupt officials will be handed over to the EFCC in due course for prosecution.

According to the governor, he encouraged the establishment of EFCC zonal office in Kaduna because the state has zero tolerance for financial irregularities.

On the location of prison in Sambisa forest, Magu urged the judicial arm of government should cooperate with EFCC for the prison to become a reality.

He said: “We want to call for establishment of prison in Sambisa forest in order to keep away corrupt people from our midst.

“In this case, the judiciary has direct influence to help in the fight against corruption.

“But concerted efforts are being made by some big Nigerians to neutralise the fight against corruption.

“We must change the narrative by fighting back those that do not want the fight to succeed.”

July 6, 2017
EFCC, NDLEA, others harassing me – Patience Jonathan

Nigeria’s ex – First Lady, Patience Jonathan, on Thursday alleged harassment of her family by security agencies and sought the House of Representatives intervention.

In a petition to the lower chamber, Mrs. Jonathan said the harassment was being orchestrated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other agencies of the Federal Government.

She urged the federal government to call the agencies to order.

The petition was presented at the House’s plenary by the lawmaker representing Okrika Federal Constituency in Rivers, Bright Tamuno.

Presenting the document, Tamuno urged the House to wade into the matter considering the sacrifices the woman’s husband, former President Goodluck Jonathan, made for the country.

“No former first lady has been harassed like this before, and in view of the sacrifices that her husband has made for the country, the House should consider and call the security agencies to order,” Tamuno said.

The Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, referred the petition to the Committee on Public Petitions for further legislative action.

NAN

July 6, 2017
Governors angry as EFCC is set to recover $3m refund

Governors were up in arms yesterday against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which they accused of “shadow boxing” one of their own.

The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) asked the EFCC to allow Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari face his job.

But the anti-graft agency told The Nation that a member of the House of Representatives had offered to surrender for investigation on how $3million was laundered for a governor from the London-Paris Club refund.

The EFCC source did not name Yari, who is also the chairman of the NGF.

Of the three suspects wanted in connection with the cash, one has refunded about $500,000.

Also, in another investigation, a governor made about 24 calls to pressurise a consultant to launder N500million into a mortgage firm for him.

The consultant was paid about 0.64 per cent of the N19billion and $86million deducted from the London-Paris Club refund and remitted into two accounts of the NGF.

The House member wrote to the EFCC on June 30, saying he is ready for interrogation. But he pleaded for one or two weeks to travel overseas.

The EFCC team was expected last night to agree on a date for his appearance subject to the convenience of the lawmaker.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Concerning the ongoing probe of a $3million traced to another governor from the London-Paris Club refunds, EFCC detectives have been able to identify three suspects and two companies.

“Two of the suspects are from the same parents. They played key roles on how the cash was laundered.

“Out of the suspects, a serving member of the House of Representatives, who was a former commissioner in a state, has been implicated. He actually went underground and evaded arrest in the past few months.”

Asked of the next step, the source said: “Our immediate target actually is to recover the $3million, seize it under Interim Asset Forfeiture and return the illicit cash to the treasury.

“So far, one of the suspects has refunded $500,000. We are waiting for the House member, who controlled how the cash was wired for the governor, to face our team and tell us the whereabouts of $2.5million balance.

The NGF, in a statement signed by its head of Media and Public Affairs Abulrazque Barkindo, said Yari had told the EFCC that he owned no land or hotel in Lagos.

Meanwhile, fresh facts emerged yesterday on how a governor routed N500million cash illegally deducted from the London-Paris Club refunds to a mortgage firm.

Another source said: “A track of the transactions showed that following the payment of about 0.64 per cent commission to a consultant, the governor instructed in less than one hour that the cash should be transferred to a mortgage firm.

“In between the transfer process, the EFCC team discovered that the governor made about 24 calls in desperation to see that the cash was paid to the mortgage firm.

“All the call logs of the governor have been traced and it is obvious that he will be arraigned anytime he is out of office.

“But all those he used to siphon the cash are likely to face trial any moment from now.”

The Presidency has released N1. 266.44trillion to the 36 states in the past two years. This includes N713.70billion special intervention funds to states.

Following protest by states against over deductions for external debt service between 1995 and 2002, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the release of N522.74 billion (first tranche) to states as refund, pending reconciliation of records.

Each state was entitled to a cap of N14.5 billion being 25% of the amounts claimed.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, said the payment of the claims will enable states to offset outstanding salaries and pension which had been “causing considerable hardship”.

The governors sought for the refund to states and local governments at a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on May 24, 2016.

July 6, 2017
Presidency/NASS urged to approach court over Magu

The Presidency and the National Assembly have been urged to put the interest of the nation above any other interests to reach an amicable resolution over the fate of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu.

Should dialogue failed to resolve the impasse over the EFCC boss, the National Assembly has been urged to approach the court to seek interpretation of the contentious issue instead of heating up the polity.

Making the call at a news conference in Abuja, the Chairman of the Patriotic Movement of Nigeria, Malam Bello Abdulkadir said this has become necessary given the fact that Nigeria is currently facing challenges of development, national cohesion, security, poverty and unemployment.

Malam Bello also urged the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to take practical steps towards addressing the issues that have kept Nigeria fragmented in the past few months along its geo-political and ethno-cultural fault lines.

Malam Bello was flanked at the briefing by other members of the group such as a former NADECO Chieftain, Dr Udenta O Udenta, former PDP Gubernatorial aspirant in Adamawa state, Dr Umar Ado, Former Commissioner for Information in Kano state, Dr Farouk B. Farouk, Pastor Godwin Akpobi, Special Adviser to Gombe state governor, Hajiya Aisha Hashidu and a former political Adviser to Ex-Vice President Namadi Sambo, Alh Hussaini Jallo.

He told journalists that the intervention of the group at this critical period was to save the country from imminent crisis and initiate a national conversation that would preserve the unity of Nigeria as a collective inheritance of all Nigerians.

Malam Bello said: “the events of the past few months-defined by mutual recriminations, angst,and acrimonious diatribe -across our ethnic-cultural and geo-political frontiers is a source of deep worry to all genuine patriots.

“We are truly alarmed at this turn of events. To keep silent as abusive language and insults are freely hurled in all directions is not an option. Now is the time to redirect our energy towards productive citizens’ dialogue under-girded by commonsense, civility, humility, logic and rational thought even as we canvass positions dear to our heart.

Now is the time to silence the drums of war and sings the hymns of peace. Now is the time to return our swords to their scabbard and raise instead the spectre of love”, asserted as he promised to use the platform of his group to bring all the warring ethnic groups together for the good of the country.

We also pledge to develop a strategic plan of action centered around public advocacy and strategic communication that will seek a buy-in by different ethnic, social and cultural groups aimed at de-escalating and ultimately arresting and overcoming the rising tide of separatist agitations and sectarian and ethno-cultural tensions, Malam Bello stated.

July 5, 2017
Appeal Court to hear Patience Jonathan’s bid to reclaim seized funds July 12

The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, has fixed July 12 for hearing on the appeal filed by wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, seeking to stop the permanent forfeiture of her $5.7 million and N2, 421,953,522.78 to the Federal Government.

The appeal arose from an April 26 order obtained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from the Federal High Court, Lagos, temporarily forfeiting the cash to the government.

The commission told Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, who made the order, that the funds were suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

It said the N5.7million was part of the $6,791,599.64 (about N2.1billion) which Mrs. Jonathan allegedly directed her aides to pay into her account between February 8, 2013 and January 30, 2015, while her husband was President.

The ex-First Lady, the EFCC said, had earlier spent $949, 282.98 (about N296, 141,911) from the money.

It said she also withdrew another $100,000 from the account in April, leaving a balance of $5,731,173.55.

Justice Olatoregun also ordered the temporary forfeiture of the N2, 421,953,522.78 found in an Ecobank Nigeria Limited account numbered 2022000760 in the name of La Wari Furniture and Baths Limited.

The commission said the money also belongs to Mrs. Jonathan.

Justice Olatoregun on May 22 suspended hearing of the EFCC’s application seeking permanent forfeiture of the cash pending the appellate court’s ruling on the interim order.

She granted the applications of Mrs. Jonathan’s lawyer, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) and that of Counsel for La Wari Furniture and Baths, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), for a stay of proceedings.

Adedipe said he had filed an application for stay of proceedings pending the appeal’s determination.

Ozekhome added that once an appeal had been entered, the lower court ought to stay proceedings.

Mrs Jonathan, in the notice of appeal, is praying the court to hold that the law cited by the EFCC in its ex-parte application for the temporary forfeiture was inapplicable.

“A judge is bound by the prayers on the motion paper and the court has no jurisdiction to make a case for a party different from that presented by the said party,” the appellant said.

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July 5, 2017
Court adjourns ex-Rivers REC’s trial till October

Justice Saliu Saidu of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday adjourned till October hearing on a criminal charge filed against a former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Gesila Khan.

Mrs. Khan was arraigned last month by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) over her alleged involvement in the 2015 election bribery scandal in the state.

She is standing trial alongside one Peter Popnen, a former staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who allegedly assisted her (Khan) to receive the gratification.

The court at the last sitting granted the accused bail in the sum of N100 million each.

They were released from prison after perfecting their bail conditions.

The matter was adjourned till Wednesday but the hearing did not take place because the second accused has just hired a new legal representative, Mr. J. T. Kpakol.

Kpakol told the court that he has just been briefed on the matter and needs time to look at the case files.

July 5, 2017
EFCC arraigns four men for alleged $500,000 theft

Justice Josephine Oyefeso of Ikeja High Court has ordered four men to be remanded in Ikoyi Prisons for allegedly stealing $500,000 belonging to a finance house, First Marina Trust Limited.

The men – Adeyemi Oluwaseun, Suleiman Yusuf Obhakume, Yusuf Imran Adekunle and Hakuna Issah – will remain in prison custody pending the arguments for and the granting of their bail requests.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the men before the court on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.

They pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecution counsel, Zainab Ettu, informed the court that the accused committed the offence on September 16, last year.

She said the offence is contrary to Section 409 and 285(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Counsel to the third and fourth defendants, Mr. E. Abass, prayed the court for a short adjournment to argue the bail application of his clients.

Counsel to the first defendant, Mr. O. Awonuga, aside from applying for a bail, also sought a short adjournment to file a written address.

Justice Oyefeso ordered that the defendants be remanded in Ikoyi Prison pending the hearing of the bail application.

She adjourned the matter till July 11 for hearing of the applications.

July 5, 2017
EFCC arrests ex-Jigawa Governor Turaki

A year after being on the run, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arrested former Jigawa StateGovernor Senator Saminu Turaki.

Turaki has been standing trial since 2011 after his re-arraignment before a Federal High Court in Dutse, Jigawa State.

He is facing a 32-count fraud charge against him, amounting to N36 billion.

Some of the charges include N12 billion withdrawn from the state government treasury for allegedly financing the botched third term project for former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

According to a top source, the EFCC has been on the trail of the ex-governor since May 19, 2016.

The source said: “The ex-governor was this afternoon arrested by agents of the EFCC. He was picked up at the venue of the public presentation of a book on Brigadier Zakariya Maimalari, the first regular combatant officer in the Nigerian Army, in Abuja.

“Before the arrest, EFCC has had to declare Turaki wanted for failing to present himself for trial since 2011 on 36 counts corruption charge before the Federal High Court, Dutse.

“The court had issued a warrant directing the Inspector-General of Police or his officers and the EFCC to arrest Saminu Turaki and bring him before the court. Justice S. Yahuza gave the order after Turaki consistently failed to attend trial.

“But attempts to execute the warrant failed as Turaki remained elusive. On May 19, 2016 operatives of the commission, acting on a tip-off, had stormed the 16 Denis Osadebey Street Asokoro, Abuja home of the former governor but he slipped through their hands.

“Turaki faces multiple charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, stealing, money laundering and misappropriation of public funds.

Other allegations against the ex-governor include the release of N7 billion for the yet-to-be executed Water for All project initiated by Turaki’s administration for the people of the state; and N5 billion released for the construction of the Eastern Bye-pass Road, among others.

Turaki was first arraigned by the EFCC before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in 2007 on a 32-count charge.

The case was later transferred to Federal High Court, Dutse after he challenged the jurisdiction of the FCT Court.

He was subsequently re-arraigned on a 32-count charge at the court in Dutse, Jigawa State.

July 5, 2017
Senate to Osinbajo: Remove Magu now

The Senate on Tuesday demanded that the acting President Yemi Osinbajo must obey the resolutions of the Senate, including the immediate removal of the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu.

It also suspended all confirmation of appointments until compliance with its resolution.

Recall that the confirmation of the Chairman of the EFCC, who was appointed in Acting capacity by President Muhammadu Buhari on November 9, 2015, was first rejected by the Senate on December 15, 2017, and has consistently been rejected.

Upon his appointment, Magu said he was committed to the anti-corruption war, drawing a connection between the economic challenges facing the country and the endemic corruption in the country.

Similarly, on December 15, the Senate after a lengthy closed session drafted the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, to address journalists and announce the rejection of the Magu’s nomination.

Abdullahi said Senate’s decision not to confirm Magu was due to unfavourable security reports against his nomination. He, however, did not give details of the security reports that stopped Magu’s confirmation as EFCC chief.

July 4, 2017
Oronsaye: Court dismisses claim of obtaining statement under duress

The Federal High Court, Abuja, has admitted as evidence the statements made by the second defendant, Osarenkhoe Afe, in the ongoing trial of former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Stephen Oronsaye.

Justice Gabriel Kolawale, admitted the statements at the conclusion of proceedings of a trial-within-trial, which he ordered.

The trial-within-trial was ordered to ascertain the veracity of the claims by Afe that the statements he made to the EFCC were obtained under duress.

Kolawale in his ruling said that more justice would be done by admitting the statements in evidence, adding that they were duly made and not involuntarily made under duress.

“Based on my assessment of the events of Feb. 24 2011 and March 2011, the second defendant was in a good frame of mind when he wrote the two statements.”

Kolawale wondered why Afe took no action against the EFCC when he was refused legal representation by its officials as he claimed.

“I would have thought that he would request to see a senior officer, as a situation like this would have created a chain of facts.

“Again when he was released on bail, he would have instructed his counsel to write a letter of protest to the Chairman of the EFCC that extra judicial statements were obtained from him by arm twisting tactics of his officers.”

Kolawale, however, held that in the course of the trial, if additional facts emerged to prove that the statements were obtained under duress, the court had jurisdiction to expunge the statements from its records.

He adjourned the matter until Oct. 12 for continuation of the substantive matter.

Kolawale had ordered a trial-within-trial to ascertain the veracity of the claim by Afe that his statements were obtained by the EFCC under duress.

When counsel adopted their addresses, Mr Oluwole Aladedoye, counsel to Afe, told the court that his client was abducted by EFCC officials.

“I submit that the evidence before the court shows that there was no form of invitation to the second defendant by the EFCC, he was certainly abducted, no matter the nomenclature they choose to use.

“No warrant of arrest was presented to the court and even the search warrant alluded to by the first prosecution witness was never presented to the court,” he said.

Aladedoye also held that his client was denied his right to produce a legal representative of his choice, adding that there could be no greater form of oppression than this.

He insisted that the statements made by his client to the EFCC were obtained under duress and prayed the court to discredit the statements since they were inadmissible.

Counsel to the EFCC, Mr O.A. Atolagbe on his part, told the court that the two statements made by Afe had passed the admissibility test and prayed the court to admit them as evidence.

On the allegation that Afe was abducted by the EFCC, Atolagbe held that the defendant testified that EFCC operatives came to his house and told him they were inviting him to their office.

He added that the record of the court showed that the defendant said that he took his time to get dressed before following the EFCC officials.

According to the counsel, the prosecution has established beyond reasonable doubt that the statements were made voluntarily and should be admitted in evidence.

In another ruling, Kolawale granted an application by Oransaye for the release of his international passport to enable him travel abroad.

He ordered that the passport should be released only after one of Oronsaye’s counsel, Mr Bart Ogar, file a personal undertaking that the defendant would return to face his trial.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Oronsaye is standing trial for money laundering, fraud and breach of trust.

He is being tried with Afe and four companies – Fredrick Hamilton Global Services Limited, Cluster Logistic Limited, Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited, and Drew Investment and Construction Company Limited.

July 3, 2017