The Nation Newspaper

Tag: EFCC

  • Magu not removed – EFCC

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has debunked speculation that its Acting Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has been removed from office.

    “It is not true,” spokesman of the commission, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Saturday.

    The rumour of Magu’s sack hit the social media and some traditional media websites in the early hours of Saturday.

    The report said Magu had been redeployed to the Nigeria Police Force to pave way for a fresh nominee by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The report also said the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, had already notified the EFCC Acting Chairman on the development through a letter.

    Malami, according to the report, has also directed Magu to hand over to the Director of Operations in the commission.

     

  • Magu not sacked as EFCC chairman – Presidency

    Magu not sacked as EFCC chairman – Presidency

    The Presidency on Saturday dismissed report that Mr. Ibrahim Magu has been sacked as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, in series of tweets on his Twitter handle, (@GarShehu, said no report has been made available to the Presidency by the Attorney General of the Federation on the matter.”

    He twitted:

    “We are reading reports that the @officialEFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu has been sacked.”

    “No report has been made available to the Presidency by the Attorney General of the federation over the matter.”

    The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, also dismissed the report as untrue.

    “No truth in the story making the rounds that Magu has been removed as EFCC boss. The AGF is yet to submit his probe report to the President,” he said on his Twitter handle.

    The Senate had earlier this month rejected President Muhammadu Buhari’s nomination of Magu as EFCC, chairman, saying security reports made him ineligible for the office.

     

  • ASUU alleges N2bn fraud at UNILORIN, petitions EFCC

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleging more than N2 billion fraud against the management of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN).

    The petition was jointly signed by the Ibadan Zonal Chairmen of ASUU, Dr. Ade Adejumo and Dr. Deji Omole, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    Others are – Dr. Biodun Olaniran of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Dr. Dauda Adeshina, Kwara State University, and Dr. Kayode Afolayan of UNILORIN.

    ASUU, in the petition, said the former Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Isiaq Oloyede, and the incumbent, Abdulganiyu Ambali, were involved in a fraud totalling more than N2 billion.

    ASUU described the UNILORIN management as one of the most corrupt in Nigeria’s higher institutions.

    According to the petition, the institution has been operating under the pretext of keeping stable academic calendar to silence whistle blowers while perpetrating enormous fraud.

    The allegations listed in the petition included pension fraud, unremitted deductions, extortion from students, contract inflation and kick-backs, as well as unlawful payments to ex-principal officers of the university.

    Adejumo urged the EFCC to investigate the “monumental fraud perpetrated by past and present administrations at the university.’’

     

  • Alleged N25b scam: EFCC rejects ex-governor’s settlement terms

    Alleged N25b scam: EFCC rejects ex-governor’s settlement terms

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) has rejected out-of-court settlement terms tabled by Senator Danjuma Goje and four others.
    The others are   a former  Gombe State Government House food supplier, Alhaji Sabo Mohammed Tumu; a former Executive Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board, Alhaji Aliyu Ubadone El-Nafaty;  a businessman, S. M. Dokoro;  and a firm,  S. M. Dokoro Gombe. Goje is a former governor of Gombe State.
    All the accused persons, who were first arraigned on October  17, 2011, are facing an 18-count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering amounting to N25billion.
    Some of the charges are:
    * securing N5billion loan for infrastructural projects from Access Bank without the approval of the House of Assembly;
    *alleged diversion of N1.6billion meant for the purchase of dictionaries to other projects;
    •alleged mismanagement of N1billion obtained from Union Bank for commercial agriculture credit scheme under the supervision of the Central Bank of Nigeria; and
    •Award of N1.8billion food supply contract to the ex-governor’s cousin without bid process.
    The accused proposed an out-of-court settlement. A plea bargain negotiation session was held between the EFCC team and their representatives.
    Those at the session were the prosecutor, Mr. Wahab Shittu, the Chief of Staff to the EFCC chairman, representatives from the Legal Unit of the anti-graft agency; the defence counsel, Mr. Paul Erokoro (SAN) and Goje’s representative.
    A source said: “Goje and others only opted for an out-of-court settlement instead of plea bargain. They insisted that they have no case to answer because they allegedly committed no wrong. They vowed never to go into any plea bargain.
    “At the end of the day, they offered to pay back only N40million to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), being accruable tax unpaid by the food supplier, who is standing trial.
    “Later, the defence team reduced the amount payable to a ridiculous rate of N20million. They even added a clause that any payment effected should be credited to one of the accused persons and not Goje.
    “They said once the terms are accepted, the EFCC should withdraw the charges against all the accused persons.”
    But the  EFCC has rejected all the terms.
    EFCC source said: “All the conditions are ridiculous. This is a case in which a former Clerk to Gombe State House of Assembly, Shehu Mohammed Atiku, has told a Federal High Court that the ex-governor forged the Resolution of the House and collected N5bn (five billion naira) facility from Access Bank.
    “We already have a heap of evidence before the court to strengthen prosecution. We will go ahead with the trial of all the accused persons”. Justice B. O. Quadri has adjourned the matter till January 17 when the EFCC will tell that the out-of-court negotiation has collapsed.
    It was gathered that Acting EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu has said that “the EFCC will not accept plea bargain without conviction and substantial refund of the mismanaged funds.

  • NSCDC officer arraigned for job scam

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday in Kano arraigned  an officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) , Joshua Dan-Daura, for job racketeering.

    Dan-Daura, who is said to be a Deputy Superintendent in the NSCDC, appeared before Justice Dije Aboki of the state High Court on a one-count charge of obtaining by false pretense, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    The accused is alleged to have obtained N145,000 from one Yahaya Musa under the guise of securing a job for him in the corps.

    He denied the charge.

    According to the prosecutor, Dan-Daura committed the alleged offence sometime in March 2013 contrary to section 320 of the Penal Code and punishable under section 322 of the same Law.

     

  • Fayose’s aide plotting to abscond – EFCC

    Fayose’s aide plotting to abscond – EFCC

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has alleged that Abiodun Agbele, an aide of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State was plotting to abscond from his ongoing trial.

    Agbele is being tried with three firms – Sylvan Macnamara Limited, De Privateer Limited and Spotless Limited on 11- count charge of money laundering involving about N4, 685,723,000,000 allegedly taken by former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, from the account of the Office of the NSA domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    The prosecution alleged that Agbele and others knew that the fund formed part of the proceeds of alleged unlawful activities by Dasuki.

    The prosecution claimed that on June 17, 2014, Agbele, ex- Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro and other suspects (said to be at large) took N1,219,000,000 from the fund when they “reasonably ought to have known” that it was part of proceeds of Dasuki’s unlawful activity.”

    The EFCC revelation about Agbele’s alleged plot to abscond is contained in a notice of appeal filed against the December 5 ruling of Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Agbele and others are being tried before Justice Dimgba, who earlier granted the Ekiti governor’s aide bail and ordered him to among others, deposit his international passport with the court as part of the bail conditions.

  • Hope rises for IDPs as EFCC signs MoU with WFP

    Hope rises for IDPs as EFCC signs MoU with WFP

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Food Programme (WFP) to protect the distribution of food aids in the country against fraud.
    EFCC spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, who stated this in a statement, said the signing ceremony took place at the commission’s head office in Abuja.
    Under the MoU, EFCC officials are expected to closely monitor the implementation of WFP intervention programmes, including distribution of food aids to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North-East.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the development is coming amid reports of diversion of relief materials meant for IDPs by government officials.
    In September, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the police to arrest officials accused of involvement in the act.
    The EFCC Acting Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Magu, pledged the commission’s support for WFP to ensure that its donations and those
    of the government reached their beneficiaries free of corruption.
    Magu stated that the EFCC-WFP partnership would greatly help in alleviating the sufferings of internally displaced people especially in the northern part of the country.
    “We assure you that we will follow you to every nook and cranny of the North Eastern states such as Yobe, Borno and Adamawa.
    “We will be with you whereever you need our attention. If there are no operatives where you are, we will send you operatives from here.
    “We will support and work with your intervention to reach its beneficiaries without any threat of corruption,’’ the statement quoted him as saying.
    Mr Bernadin Assiene, the WFP Director of Inspections and Investigations, noted that that the MoU was an important aspect of WFP’s intervention in Nigeria.
    Its main objective, according to him, is to ensure that all the support mobilised by the programme does not only effectively reach the target beneficiaries but also corruption-free.
    Assiene described the MoU as first of its kind and a confirmation that the EFCC was the right partner to help WFP to establish specific assurance mechanisms in Nigeria.
    “EFCC’s expertise, reputation and track record of successful engagements in the fight against fraud and corruption in the utilisation of foreign assistance is well recognised, both nationally and internationally,’’ he said.
    Mr Sory Ouane, the WFP Representative and Country Director, explained how the WFP had provided intervention to the North-East through its intervention programme, assuring that it would continue.
    “The ongoing conflict in northeast Nigeria has the potential to cause further displacement and increase food insecurity.
    “Therefore, WFP is revising its emergency operations to implement a robust scale up and an integrated response to meet the overwhelming needs in northeast Nigeria.
    “We are targeting 1.8 milllion people in Borno and Yobe in 2017,’’ Ouane said, according to the statement.
    While Magu signed the MoU on behalf of the EFCC, Assiene signed for the WFP, the statement added

  • Fed Govt seeks EFCC, ICPC help on Niger Delta’s N400b failed projects

    Fed Govt seeks EFCC, ICPC help on Niger Delta’s N400b failed projects

    The Federal Government yesterday said it will seek the intervention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on the N400 billion failed projects in Niger Delta.
    The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani, spoke yesterday in Abuja on the need for such intervention.
    The minister said it was disheartening that since the creation of the Niger Delta Ministry, over N400 billion had been disbursed for various projects with less than 13 per cent implementation by the contractors.
    He said the government would not allow the contractors to get away with the injustice they perpetrated against Niger Delta residents.
    Usani said the situation was compounded by the fact that contractors handling such projects were Niger Delta indigenes who were fond of collecting mobilisation funds from the ministry and eloping without doing anything at project sights.
    According to him, among the failed projects are: roads, water, electricity, skill acquisition centres, housing estates, farms and health care centres.
    The minister said the government had taken the first step by ordering the contractors back to sites to justify the funds collected.
    He said contractors who failed to meet up with the pace of the ministry would have their dates with the anti-graft agencies.
    Usani, who outlined the achievements of the ministry in the past one year, said about N4 billion had been paid to contractors handling Section One of the East-West Road, which was about 99 per cent completed.
    The minister regretted that works could not start on Section Five of the road, as planned, because of technical problems.
    Usani recalled that about 413 youths had been trained in three batches in Ibadan in various entrepreneurship programmes in the past one year and paid between N300,000 and N500,000 to enable them start their businesses.
    He regretted that some youths used the money to buy luxury cars.
    The minister also said about 130 women were trained in agriculture value chain and given N1 million each as start-ups, adding that hundreds of other young men and women in Niger Delta were undergoing training in Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
    The Minister who said about N800 billion would be needed to complete various projects in the region, said the major challenge facing the ministry was lack of funds to execute majority of the transformative programmes and projects.

  • SEC, EFCC mull greater protection for investors

    Nigeria’s apex capital market regulator, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the anti-corruption agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are considering a new collaborative investigation and enforcement framework that will enhance investors’ protection and the integrity of the capital market.

    The two Federal Government agencies are already working on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will encapsulate the framework expected to step up the collaboration between the agencies and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of capital market investigations and enforcements.

    SEC Director-General, Mr. Mounir Gwarzo and acting chairman EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, met in Abuja over the weekend in furtherance of the collaboration.

    Gwarzo noted that the Investment and Securities Act (ISA), which guides SEC operations, does not give the Commission powers on criminal cases, thus the need to work with a frontline agency such as the EFCC in order to effectively discharge its responsibility of investors’ protection.

    “We are by provision of our law mandated to protect investors on developing the market, but the way our law is structured, we have limitations over criminal cases. That is why in the last 10 years, there has been a very great collaboration between both agencies. We hope that when this MoU becomes fully operational, it will assist in reducing market infractions to the barest minimum,” Gwarzo said.

    He said there has been a close relationship between the SEC and the EFCC, noting that the collaboration with the EFCC has been of tremendous benefit to the SEC, especially in areas of investigation and enforcement.

    According to him, effective policing of the market is one of the ways of restoring investors’ confidence.

    “One of our agenda is to bring back the retail investors to the market and there is no way they will agree to return if they are not sure of the safety of their investments,” Gwarzo said.

    Magu expressed delight that the collaboration between both agencies has yielded enormous benefit for the growth of the capital market, adding that the EFCC will continue to provide assistance where required.

    He noted that the EFCC has been instrumental in the investigation of several cases of fraud in the capital market and recovered funds which were returned to investors.

    He assured that the EFCC will continue to support the SEC in its efforts to protect investors and ensure the safety of investments in the Nigerian capital market.

     

  • FG seeks EFCC, ICPC intervention on failed projects

    The Federal Government on Tuesday said it would seek the intervention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) over the N400 billion failed projects in the Niger/Delta.

    The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani, who disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja, said it was disheartening that since the creation of the Niger Delta Ministry over N400 billion has been disbursed for various projects with less than 13 percent implementation by the contractors.

    He vowed that the government would not allow the contractors get away with the injustice they perpetrated against the people of the Niger Delta.

    He said the situation was compounded by the facts that contractors handling such projects were Niger Delta indigenes who had developed the habits of collecting mobilization funds from the ministry and afterwards eloped without doing anything at project sites.

    Among the failed projects were roads, water, electricity, skill acquisition centres, housing estates, farms and health care centres.

    The minister said the first step had been taken by ordering the contractors back to project sights to justify the funds collected, stating that contractors who failed to meet up with the pace of the ministry would have their dates with the anti-graft agencies.

     

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