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Tag: EFCC

Court awards N5m against EFCC for freezing firm’s account

The Federal High Court in Lagos Tuesday awarded N5million damages against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for sealing up a company and freezing its accounts without a court’s order.

Justice Ibrahim Buba held that the commission acted irrationally. He delivered judgment in a suit by Rana Prestige Industries Nigeria Limited and its director Gnanhoue Nazaire against the EFCC, Mrs Alice Bulus and Mrs Rachadatou Abdou.

Through their lawyer Chief Rickey Tarfa (SAN), they filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit and prayed the court to order the unsealing of the company’s business premises.

They also prayed for an order unfreezing its accounts with Diamond Bank, Ecobank, and Access Bank, as well as an order of perpetual injunction restraining EFCC from violating their rights.

Rana Prestige and Nazaire sought N100million damages, and N10million as cost of the action.

Justice Yunusa granted all the reliefs sought, except the damages and cost. He awarded N5million to the applicants and made no order as to cost.

The judge said the EFCC wrongly exercised its prosecutorial discretion in sealing up the company.

“There is no evidence that the order of court was obtained prior to sealing the company,” the judge held.

Besides, he said the commission did not do a preliminary investigation before it moved against the company after receiving a petition against it and the director.

“It is clear that the first (EFCC) and second respondents did not exercise their discretion properly.

“There is nothing in the record that they did any preliminary investigation. The first and second respondents acted irrationally,” the judge held.

The EFCC had earlier filed criminal charges against the applicants, which is still pending before the court.

Also charged with forgery and “uttering” of forged documents (presenting a forged document as genuine) are the company’s General Manager, Senou Modeste and a staff Ferdinand Egede.

EFCC said they allegedly conspired amongst themselves on May 28, 2007 to forge Rana Prestige’s ordinary resolution which they purported to have been signed by Mrs Rachadatou Abdou, who co-owns the company.

The commission said they allegedly forged a Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Form 7 dated November 22, 2005, claiming it was signed by Mrs Abdou.

The four-count charge includes conspiracy to commit a felony, forgery and uttering of false document, which violate section 516, 467 and 468 of the Criminal Code, Cap C17, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003. They are yet to be arraigned.

In a supporting affidavit, an EFCC investigating officer said the board resolution was purportedly signed and passed by the directors appointing Egede as the Company Secretary while Mrs Abdou was out of the country.

The commission said Nazaire fraudulently converted the company’s share to his use and to Mrs. Abdou’s prejudice, as well as “converted huge sums of money” belonging to the company “to his own use.”

September 8, 2015
Customs hands over suspected traffickers, $271, 135 cash to EFCC

The Murtala Muhammed Internatonal Airport Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) yesterday handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) two persons arrested last week for allegedly attempting to traffic over $271,135.

The cash was also handed over to EFCC for safe keeping and further investigation.

Its Public Relations Officer (PRO), Thelma Williams, gave the suspects’ names as: Owolabi Tijani of Patovillki, a cleaning firm at the airport and Uwan Livinus.

Williams said: “At about 11am on September 3, one Owolabi Tijani a staff of Patovilki “Cleaning Firm” was apprehended by Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) officials who attempted to smuggle US$271,135 through “D” wing departure screening point.

“The said Owolabi after interrogation confirmed to FAAN Officials names of people involved in the crime, including Mrs Omo Seun (Iya Urobo) and Uwan Livinus.

“Statements were therefore taken from the suspects and officers who witnessed the process.”

September 8, 2015
Currency traffickers arrested at Lagos airport

The Nigeria Customs Service operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) ) two persons arrested last week for attempting to traffic over $271,135 out of the country .

The public relations officer of the Airport Customs Command, Thelma Williams, gave the names of the two persons as – Mr. Owolabi Tijani, a staff of Patovillki, a cleaning firm at the airport and one Mr. Uwan Livinus .

She said the money was handed over to the EFCC for safe keeping.

Williams said the commission will carry out thorough investigation on the circumstances leading to the crime.

She said:” At about 11.00hrs on September 3, 2015, one Owolabi Tijani a staff of Patovilki, cleaning firm was apprehended by FAAN officials while attempting to smuggle $271,135 through “D” wing departure screening point.

“The said Owolabi after interrogation confirmed to FAAN Officials names of people involved in the crime, including Mrs. Omo seun (Iya Urobo) and Uwan Livinus.

“Statements were therefore taken from the suspects and officers who witnessed the process.”

September 7, 2015
$4.5b tax holiday: EFCC grills 10, uncovers fresh N600m fraud in NIPC

About 25 oil firms are being investigated in connection with the illegal $4.5b tax waivers granted by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), The Nation learnt yesterday.

Besides, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) agency has uncovered N600million fraud on phantom training of 170 workers in the commission.

About N3million was remitted to each of the 170 officials but the beneficiaries were later directed to pay N2million into the account of a bureau de change operator.

Ten top officials of the NIPC and an external auditor have been quizzed by the EFCC.

The NIPC officials are said to have sworn to stop the investigation at “whatever cost”.

According to sources, EFCC investigators have discovered that 25 oil companies benefited from the $4.5billion tax holiday.

It was gathered that the tax relief was given to the 25 firms under the guise of pioneer status

A highly-placed source said: “The probe of the $4.5billion tax waivers by the NIPC has reached an appreciable level. In all, 25 oil firms were involved.

We have interrogated 10 members of the staff of NIPC and invited an external auditor of the commission.

“The tax holiday showed that the NIPC denied the nation the huge sum between 2010 and June 2014 when it was stopped.

“One of the key things in the ongoing investigation is that the law was certainly misapplied for some selfish reasons to aid a few oil firms to evade tax.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “The 25 oil firms ought not to have benefited from the Industrial Development ( Income Tax Relief) Act. They fall under the Petroleum Profits Tax Act (PPTA).

Preliminary findings by EFCC investigators revealed the following:

*Under the existing Industrial Development (Income Tax Relief) Act (IDA) and Company Income Tax Act(CITA), companies engaged in petroleum exploration and production were not eligible for grant of pioneer status

*The Federal Inland Revenue Service(FIRS) was not aware of any Federal Executive Council approvals on the pioneer status schedule

*The grant of pioneer status by NIPC to the 25 oil firms was a breach of the law in relation to taxation and incentive matters.

RMAFC recommended that companies involved in the Upstream Petroleum activities should not benefit under CITA/IDA nor should they come under the purview if NIPC for pioneer status administration.

A document obtained by our correspondent said: “That companies in Nigeria are generally taxed under the CITA while those engaged in petroleum operations are taxed specifically under the PPTA.

“The PPTA is meant to regulate the financial activities of oil companies engaged in crude oil production, petroleum marketing and the servicing companies that engage in such activities as seismic survey, drilling and data collection.

“It is the profits generated by companies engaged directly or indirectly in petroleum operations that are subject to tax under the PPTA, while profits generated by marketing and servicing companies are taxed under the CITA.

“The committee was asked to note the definition of ‘petroleum operations’ under Section 2 of PPTA, which defines upstream and downstream operations. It applies to companies that win and obtain and engage in petroleum operations on their own account.

“That the President’s power under Section 23(2) of CITA to exempt by order, any company from the provisions of CITA or from the payment of tax, must be construed as limiting the exemption to companies that are within the contemplation of the provision of CITA And cannot be interpreted to include companies outside the contemplation of the CITA. Any income taxed under the CITA is exempted under the PPTA.”

But some of the oil companies were said to have claimed that “they were lured into the tax waiver/ holiday because they did not know that they were qualified for such under the NIPC Act”.

A source added: “NIPC lured the oil companies to seek pioneer status, believing that they qualified, by using tax consultants.”

On May 10, the former Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala raised the alarm that the Federal Government had lost over $20b to tax holidays fraudulently granted companies by officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC),

She said: “Pioneer status (tax holidays) was granted to companies whose products do not meet the requirements of the list of industries or products specified in the schedule to the Act.

“NIPC officials granted tax holidays for a straight five-year period, contrary to the provision of Section 10 of the Act, which states that the tax relief period for a pioneer company shall commence from the production date of the company and shall continue for a period of three years in the first instance, and may be extended for a period of one year and thereafter for another one year, or for a period of two years subject to the satisfaction of Mr. President that certain requirements, such as rate of expansion, standard of efficiency, level of development of company, among others, are met.”

As EFCC investigators are probing the $4.5billion tax holiday, they have uncovered a N600million fraud.The cash was taken for a training.

A document obtained by our correspondent said in part: “The purported training was to cost N600million. About N3million was remitted into the account of each of the affected 170 staff. But each staff was directed to pay N2million to a bureau de change operator in Zone 4 in Abuja.

“Those involved were from the Administration, Finance and Accounts, Procurement and Audit departments in NIPC.

“One of the officials under investigation used to be a conduit for taking money out of the commission for the cartel operating in NIPC. He has collected cash advance of more than N80million outside the N600million. He owns an auto sales shop in Abuja.”

September 7, 2015
EFCC recovers N38m bullet-proof SUV from ex-NIMASA DG

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may have recovered a Toyota Land Cruiser Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) belonging to the ex-Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Patrick Akpobolokemi.

Also, the anti-graft agency is also said to have frozen accounts of two companies financially associated with NIMASA, Mieka Divers Limited and Global West Vessels Limited.

The two companies are reportedly owned by ex-Niger Delta warlord, Chief Government Ekpompolo, otherwise known as Tompollo.

Head, Media Unit of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone yesterday, could not immediately confirm the development, but said the matter was still under investigation.

“I can’t confirm that to you immediately, but what I know is that the matter has been under investigation”, Uwujaren said.

Investigation by our correspondent also revealed that a number of private bank accounts, allegedly linked to Akpobolokemi, had also been frozen on the orders of the EFCC.

A security source who spoke to our correspondent under a condition of anonymity yesterday, however, confirmed the measures taken on the said bank accounts.

According to him, the move was aimed at checking the ongoing illegal movements of large sums of foreign and local currencies across the nation’s borders.

The source stated further that there were ongoing security surveillance on a number of private and corporate accounts suspected to be linked to slush funds and that those of Mieka Divers Limited and Global West Vessels Limited were just two of such accounts under watch.

Also affected is the contractor handling the N30 billion Maritime University at Okerenkoko, in the Gbaramatu, Delta State. The contract is being handled by Mr. Kime Engozi, believed to be a close ally of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Funds, amounting to billions of naira, allegedly paid to the contractor by the last administration, are said to have been trapped at a Yenagoa, Bayelsa State branch of an old generation bank.

The funds, are said to be part payment for the construction work on the Maritime University and the NIMASA Technical College, Okoloba, also in Delta State.

Further investigation by our correspondent revealed that freezing the accounts was not a move to stall the various projects for which monies had been paid.

Rather, the move, our source said, was to verify and to keep close watch on outflow of funds from the accounts, with the view to ensuring that such funds were not meant for sinister purposes.

“For instance, just one individual got about N13 billion from a single transaction with NIMASA. The same individual also collected about $57 million from similar deals from the agency without proper documentation.

“No serious administration would attempt to sweep this type of thing under the carpet. So there must be proper explanations, bearing in mind the security implications of movement of such large sums within the system”, the source stated.

Although Tompollo is not known to be under investigation by the EFCC, Akpobolokemi has been under the anti-graft agency’s investigation since August over issues relating to the running of the NIMASA under his watch.

The EFCC had since seized the international passport of the ex-NIMASA boss. A number of his close aides, including an Executive Director at NIMASA, had also been guests of the commission in the last few weeks.

A security source said yesterday that the aides were assisting the EFCC in investigation, relating to amounts spent on the Maritime Domain Awareness and Surveillance System (MDASS) as well the management of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF).

Attempts by the last session of the House of Representatives to investigate spendings, particularly huge payments to Global West Vessels Limited by NIMASA in 2013 were thwarted under the last administration.

Of particular interests to the House of Representatives was the revelation that 50 percent of revenue being generated by NIMASA was allegedly being paid to Tompollo’s Global West Vessels against financial regulations.

The House investigation had also faulted the way and manner the CVFF account was being run by NIMASA, particularly the frequent movements of funds into different individual and corporate accounts.

At the time, the CVFF accounts were being operated in four different accounts in Skye Bank, Sterling Bank, Diamond Bank and Fidelity Bank.

September 5, 2015
Corruption accused Uboh slams EFCC with more allegations

As the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) battles the allegation by a security expert, Mr George Uboh, that over N1 trillion is missing from its coffers, the man has slammed a fresh fraud allegation against the anti-graft agency.

The EFCC has said its accuser is undergoing trial for alleged corruption.

Uboh’s petition has led to a probe against the commission by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

Addressing reporters yesterday in Abuja, Uboh, who said he had three full boxes of documentary evidence against the EFCC, claimed that the agency failed to remit N1.7 billion it allegedly collected on behalf of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as taxes for 2010 and 2011.

The documents Uboh tendered to reporters showed that the taxes were collected from Zakham Construction Limited, WAPCO, Mikano, Protea Hotel, Reiz Continental, Coscharis Motors, Elizade Limited, Efab Apartments, Le’ Meridien (Port Harcourt, Rivers State) and Northern Nigerian Flour Mills, among others.

Uboh said the recoveries made for the FIRS by the EFCC could not be confirmed by the commission, adding that the FIRS denied seeing any transfer of the amount from the anti-graft body.

The security expert said the documents on the allegation of over N1 trillion against EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Lamorde, had been posted on his website, pasecng.com, for Nigerians to access.

He explained why he finally reached over N2 trillion as the amount the EFCC failed to remit to the Federal Government coffers.

Uboh said he had forwarded the petition to President Muhammadu Buhari.

The anti-graft campaigned noted that, besides the EFCC, he had documents against former President Goodluck Jonathan, sitting and former governors, who had stolen public funds.

He said this would be released as soon as the EFCC case was concluded.

Uboh said governors, lawmakers, the media and others were scared to speak against the EFCC because the commission operated “like a Gestapo organisation”.

September 4, 2015
Fresh allegation hits EFCC

AS the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) battles the allegation by a security expert, Mr George Uboh, that over N1 trillion is missing from its coffers, the man has slammed a fresh fraud allegation against the anti-graft agency.

Uboh’s petition has led to a probe against the commission by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

Addressing reporters yesterday in Abuja, Uboh, who said he had three full boxes of documentary evidence against the EFCC, claimed that the agency failed to remit N1.7 billion it allegedly collected on behalf of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as taxes for 2010 and 2011.

The documents Uboh tendered to reporters showed that the taxes were collected from Zakham Construction Limited, WAPCO, Mikano, Protea Hotel, Reiz Continental, Coscharis Motors, Elizade Limited, Efab Apartments, Le’ Meridien (Port Harcourt, Rivers State) and Northern Nigerian Flour Mills, among others.

Uboh said the recoveries made for the FIRS by the EFCC could not be confirmed by the commission, adding that the FIRS denied seeing any transfer of the amount from the anti-graft body.

The security expert said the documents on the allegation of over N1 trillion against EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Lamorde, had been posted on his website, pasecng.com, for Nigerians to access.

He explained why he finally reached over N2 trillion as the amount the EFCC failed to remit to the Federal Government coffers.

Uboh said he had forwarded the petition to President Muhammadu Buhari.

The anti-graft campaigned noted that, besides the EFCC, he had documents against former President Goodluck Jonathan, sitting and former governors, who had stolen public funds.

He said this would be released as soon as the EFCC case was concluded.

Uboh said governors, lawmakers, the media and others were scared to speak against the EFCC because the commission operated “like a Gestapo organisation”.

September 4, 2015
Senate, Efcc and the rule of law

The invitation extended to Mallam Ibrahim Lamorde the EFCC Chair by the Senate committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions and the drama that played out on the first day of the sitting of the Senate Committee on the matter, understandably have generated controversy. The invitation followed a petition against Mallam Ibrahim Lamorde the EFCC Chairman received by Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District, alleging that the EFCC chair allegedly diverted over N1 trillion of funds recovered from officials convicted of corrupt enrichment between 2003 and 2007. The petition was submitted by Judge Uboh to Senator Peter Uwaoboshi who in turn drew the attention of the Senate President to same.

The Senate being on recess the President of the Senate reportedly directed the Senate Committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions to investigate the matter. The committee invited the EFCC chairman for questioning on the subject matter of the petition.The EFCC chair wrote the committee asking for more time to appear and furnish documents on the matter and also sent representatives to the committee emphasizing the same point. The committee reportedly went ahead requesting the petitioner to adopt his petition and make further clarifications even in the absence of the EFCC chair who had asked for a postponement of the proceedings. The representatives of the EFCC chair led by the commission’s Director of legal services, Mr. Chile Okoroma reportedly raised a point of order wondering why the committee proceeded to entertain the petitioner without the presence of the other party in line with the fair hearing principle. The objection was overruled and the EFCC representatives requested by the committee to be excused from the proceedings.

The above is a brief summary of the matter and the basis for the present intervention in this analysis.

However, before proceeding further let me disclose my interest. I admit that I am one of the private prosecutors retained by the EFCC since inception even if I am not in any way connected with the subject matter of the petition since the cases forming the subject matter of the recoveries being investigated were not cases assigned to me neither was I involved in any of the recoveries under consideration. I also admit that I have had cause to handle matters for the National Assembly in the past some of which are also pending. Nonetheless, I am making the intervention under my other platform as a public affairs commentator discussing issues of national interest as a citizen of the country.

Fundamentally, let me also admit some preliminary points. First, I agree that the EFCC being an institution created by law is certainly not above the law and therefore its activities should be open to public scrutiny particularly having been set up as an anti-graft agency to fight the economic and financial crimes and by extension corruption in Nigeria. Secondly, I also admit that the EFCC law demands that the commission sent a comprehensive annual report to the national assembly not later than 30th September every year and this being a statutory provision, it is obligatory on the EFCC to comply. Thirdly, I also admit that the EFCC chair representing the EFCC, an agency of the federal government is under the oversight responsibilities of the National Assembly including the senate. It is also not in dispute that it is not in consonance with the rule of law for proceedings to take place in the absence of any of the parties interested. These are elementary matters that do not call for any controversy.

I am however not unmindful of the fact that we are under a democracy with implications including respect for constitutionalism, rule of law, due process, transparency and accountability, zero-tolerance for corruption and respect for the rights and freedom of citizens amongst other obligations. These are elements of the democratic culture and the fundamentals of the democratic tradition. Again, on this score, there is no controversy. The other point that does not require any debate is that actors under a democracy must be prepared to be democrats. If there is no argument on this, I will then prefer to proceed on whether the actions of the senate and the EFCC in this matter conform to the rule of law and due process – since we operate a democracy founded on the rule of law.

There is no disputing the fact that the senate has oversight responsibilities on agencies of governance among its core mandate, outside law making and representation.However, the responsibility for referring petitions to oversight committees belongs to the senate as a body. The procedure stipulated in the committee webpage of the senate is unambiguous on this point. Due process in this case will require a petition to be forwarded to a senator who will in turn draw the attention of the senate as a body to same at a plenary. The senate body at a plenary will now determine the issue of referral following which the petition may then be referred to the appropriate committee for investigation by the senate at plenary. The implication of this is that the decision whether or not to investigate is that of the senate at a plenary and not one vested in the senate president as one senator who is first among equals. This fundamental rule of procedure appears to have been breached in this case since the senate been on recess could not have sat at plenary to resolve the issue of referral.

This may be a clear breach of rule of law in the handling of this particular petition. The senate may want to revisit its own rules in addressing the merits or otherwise of this petition that is of urgent national importance.

The other issue that can be raised is the effect or likely outcome of investigation by the Senate Committee on ethics in respect of the subject matter. The committee has a responsibility of considering “the subject matter of all petitions referred to it by the Senate and shall report from time to time to the senate, its opinion of the action to be taken thereon together with such other observations on petition and the signatures attached thereof, as the committee may think fit”- Segun Gbadegesin, a columnist in The Nation had argued thus “what can this committee accomplish with respect to the subject matter of a petition that alleges criminal action against the EFCC chair? It will only render an opinion on what action to take. So why didn’t Senate just refer the petition to the Police or ICPC both of which are also anti-corruption agencies with power to investigate and prosecute?”

The implication of the foregoing is that the outcome of the committee’s investigation is to make recommendations which may include requesting that persons found culpable be advised to be prosecuted. This implies that the senate must act as a body in adopting the resolutions of the committee before the referral for prosecution can be effective.

Given this scenario in the senate as a body on the same page on the procedure adopted on referral of this particular petition?

On the part of the EFCC being an anti-graft agency, accountability and transparency in the conduct of its operations is fundamental and very key if it is to be taken seriously by the populace. The EFCC has a duty under the law to account in respect of the subject matter of the petition and this it must do conscientiously by releasing detailed information to the National Assembly and Nigerian public on how funds recovered from public officials have been managed so far. I dare say that on this particular issue EFCC is on trial and the issue of motive is of no consequence as this border on transparency and accountability and for an anti-graft agency the onus is on it to raise the bar on probity.

Therefore, on the part of the EFCC, what is the state of the account? The public is waiting.

Again, on the part of the EFCC, do we have regular and comprehensive annual reportof the activities of the EFCC to the National Assembly as prescribed by law?

This is also a matter of rule of law for which the EFCC is also obliged to comply.

Finally, I am not concerned about motives and motivations for this face-off between the Senate and the EFCC. Whether the senate is acting in good faith or in bad faith is a matter of speculation and conjecture which is not the basis of criminal responsibility and therefore not the business of this analysis. But compliance with the rule of law by the senate is a responsibility because the senate itself is a creation of the rule of law.

The duty to also file returns on its activities to the National Assembly by the EFCC is also a rule of law and EFCC being a creation of the rule of law is also obliged to comply with the supremacy of the rule of law.

Finally, the answer to the present controversy between the Senate and EFCC is Rule of law! Rule of law!! Rule of law!!!

September 4, 2015
Bulletproof cars: EFCC asks court to dismiss Oduah’s suit

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Thursday urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to dismiss a suit by a former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah seeking to stop her invitation for interrogation over the purchase of bullet proof cars.

It filed a notice of preliminary objection to the suit, contending that the court lacks jurisdiction to entertain it.

Justice Mohammed Yunusa on August 26 barred the commission from arresting Oduah until her suit is determined.

The judge also stopped the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Inspector-General of Police from questioning the former minister.

EFCC, in its preliminary objection, said beside the court not having jurisdiction, there was no valid basis for the action.

According to the anti-graft agency, the suit was wrongly filed in Lagos because the subject matter took place in Abuja.

EFCC said Oduah’s claims were baseless and speculative as there is no concrete evidence that she was about to be questioned.

It added that the senator did not show enough material fact to justify her claim that she was about to be invited or arrested.

The commission urged the court to reject Oduah’s suit for lacking in merit.

Oduah, in her suit, had justified the 2013 purchase of two bullet-proof BMW cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The vehicles were said to have cost N255million, an amount that sparked outrage.

Oduah, who represents Anambra North Senatorial District in the Senate, said there was a move by the respondents to persecute and humiliate her.

She, however, explained that the vehicles were bought for the use of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) officials who were in the country to inspect and certify the 22 airports being rehabilitated under her watch.

According to her, the vehicles were acquired to safeguard the foreign officials’ lives so that they would not be bombed, attacked or abducted by the rampaging Boko Haram insurgents who were creating havoc in the Northeast.

Oduah said the bullet proof cars were especially necessary because the visit of the airport inspectors coincided with “the peak of Boko Haram terrorists’ menace in the country, when the United Nations building and the headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force were bombed in Abuja.”

“It was thus imperative that the NCAA, which is an apex regulatory authority in the Nigerian aviation industry, operating under the SARPs of the ICAO and subject to assessment by ICAO, acquire its own armoured vehicles for the use of the ICAO officials coming for inspection and certification at the time,” Oduah said.

She added that the bullet-proof vehicles were captured in the 2013 budget, adding that they were duly procured in line with the Bureau of Public Procurement regulations.

She said the respondents would be doing the bidding of her political enemies if they are not stopped.

In the papers she filed before the court, the former minister said the bid to arrest her for a crime she did not commit began as the general elections approached.

According to her, the House of Representatives led by Aminu Tambuwal (now Sokoto State governor), and its Committee on Aviation, were especially out to get her.

But the lawmakers’ move, she said, was part of a grand plan by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to capture power by all means.

The party, she said, carried out a campaign of calumny by “demonising” the most visible leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Being a frontline PDP member, she also became a target, especially as she was seen as playing a crucial role towards the realisation of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid.

She said as part of the APC’s campaign of calumny against her and others, the party’s leadership commissioned some faceless organisations to write letters to the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation.

Among others, she said she was falsely accused of “all manners of corrupt practices and offences in respect of my stewardship as Minister of Aviation.”

Oduah said was shocked by the allegations because the aviation ministry under her watch was run in the cleanest manner imaginable.

The former minister said despite her selfless service to Nigeria and the positive changes made by the ministry under her watch, including the revamping of the country’s air transportation, Tambuwal still ordered her investigation based on the petitions containing “spurious and wild allegations.”

She said because of her electoral value and strategic politicking, she had been a target of the ploy by the APC to weaken the PDP and distract its leaders with trumped up charges.

According to her, part of the APC plan was to charge PDP leaders “in a criminal trial in a Lagos State Government-controlled court.”

Oduah said unless the court intervened, “the APC will unleash repression against her and others and this may cause the country to recede to a one-party state, with gross adverse effects and irreparable damage to our nascent democracy.”

Justice Yunusa adjourned to October 2 for hearing of her suit.

September 3, 2015
Love scam: EFCC returns N2.314m to Polish victim

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday said it recovered and returned 10, 540 Euros (N2.314million) to a Polish victim of Internet love scam.

The agency’s Head of Media and Publicity of the agency, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, made the disclosure in a statement in Abuja.

The statement said: “The victim, simply identified as Jamina, was allegedly duped of 40,000 Euros by the suspect, Gabriel Oseremen Xavi, who operates a fake Facebook account with the name, Collins Page.

“The suspect was traced to Benin City, Edo State, where he was arrested by EFCC operatives following a petition by the victim.

“Speaking yesterday, at the Belgium Embassy, Abuja during the presentation of 10,540 Euro recovered from the suspected Internet fraudster, Ibrahim Lamorde, chairman of EFCC, urged Western diplomats to sensitise their citizens against Internet love scam.

“Lamorde also urged them to focus more on lonely elderly people who have been found to be easy prey.

The statement quoted Lamorde as saying: “All the assets acquired by the suspect from the proceeds of the crime will be disposed off at the conclusion of trial, and the money returned to the victim.”

The highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of the money to the Belgian Ambassador, Mr. Stephane De Loecker and his Polish counterpart, Mr. Andrzej Dycha, by Lamorde

On his part, De Loecker, thanked the Nigerian government as well as the EFCC for what he described as ‘its commitment to curbing Internet scams.’’

He said it was his first time of witnessing the restitution of a victim of scam by any law enforcement agency and urged the EFCC not to rest on its oars.

The envoy assured that the Belgian government would carry out rigorous campaigns to sensitise its citizens on the dangers of love scam.

In his remarks, Dycha, who also expressed his gratitude, extended invitation to the EFCC to be part of the meeting of association of EU Consuls to further “advise and sensitise them on Internet scam.”

The presentation was witnessed by the Deputy Head of Mission, Belgian Consulate, Veronique Bernad; Polish Consul, Jakub Budohoski, and EFCC officials.

September 3, 2015