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Tag: EFCC

  • FG grants ex-EFCC boss Bawa access to lawyers, family members

    FG grants ex-EFCC boss Bawa access to lawyers, family members

    The federal fovernment has directed that suspended chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, should be allowed access to his lawyers and family members.

    The Nation learnt that his lawyers and family members have been having access to him in the custody of the State Security Service (SSS) for some weeks now.

    It was gathered that the challenge has been his alleged refusal to cooperate with investigators by answering questions and volunteering statements as required.

    A source who pleaded anonymity said: “The young man has refused to cooperate with investigators. He has refused to answer questions. He has also declined to make statement. We understand it is within his right to either volunteer statement or decline. I think options are currently being weighed on what next measures to be adopted.”

    Also, a senior lawyer, who confided with The Nation, said Bawa’s legal team has been constrained from seeking legal option to enforce his freedom because of a directive from his father.

    “We would have filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit by now. You recall that the young man has been in custody for months now, with the government failing to charge him to court.

    The source said: “We have been handicapped by the directive of his father who asked us not to go to court on his behalf.

    “The father said he believes his son will be released when God dictates and that there was no need suing the government.”

     Meanwhile, some Senior Advocates of Nigeria have continued to asked for Bawa’s release, the latest being Rotimi Jacobs.

    Read Also: Bawa’s 70-day detention illegal, lawyer tells AGF

    Jacobs described Bawa’s continued detention since June 14 as unconstitutional and unlawful.

    In a statement, he cited relevant provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 relating to the power of the state to remand a suspect, and argued that  remand order to show that the detention of Bawa could no longer be justified in law.

    Jacobs argued that the maximum time of custody for a suspect in Nigeria under a remand order is 56 days, noting that Bawa has been held beyond the allowed under the law, which is against the rule of law and must be opposed by all lovers of democracy.

    Two other Senior Advocates,  Femi Falana and Kemi Pinheiro have also advanced similar arguments in danding for Bawa’s release.

  • EFCC, GIABA, NFIU seek stiffer sanctions against graft in West Africa 

    EFCC, GIABA, NFIU seek stiffer sanctions against graft in West Africa 

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) have called for stiffer measures against corruption and related vices in West Africa.

    The three anti-corruption bodies noted that the West African sub-region could easily overcome its current developmental challenges if corruption, which they said fuels money laundering, terrorism financing and associated crimes, is effectively addressed.

    EFCC’s Acting Chairman Abdulkarim Chukkol, GIABA Director General Edwin Harris, Jr., and NFIU Director General Modibbo Tukur spoke at the opening session of a “stakeholders’ workshop on The Outcome of GIABA’s Typologies Study on Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risks Linked to Corruption in West Africa yesterday in Abuja.

    GIABA is a specialised agency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) responsible for facilitating the adoption and implementation of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Financing of Terrorism (CFT) strategies in the sub-region.

    Calling for a review of the current efforts against corruption in West Africa, the three anti-graft bodies noted that the prevalence of malfeasance and related crimes in the sub-region, despite past efforts by the various governments, necessitated a new approach.

    Represented by EFCC’s Director of Operations, Ibrahim Idris, Chukkol said Nigeria’s presence on the grey-list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) represents a huge setback in the country’s efforts at tackling money laundering-related issues and the fight against corruption. 

    The EFCC boss listed some steps to take to redress the situation.

    He said: “Achieving this calls for greater collaboration, coordination and, above all, commitment by relevant stakeholders. 

    “For us in the EFCC, while we have never taken our eyes off the ball, there is greater commitment now, more than at any other time, to aggressively enforce and harness the potentials of the new money laundering, proceeds of crime and terrorism financing laws.”

    Harris Jr., who was represented by the agency’s Director of Research, Muazu Umaru, said the fact that development in the sub-region had been stunted by corruption, made it necessary for new measures to be evolved.

    He added: “We need to ask ourselves the question: why are we failing in tackling corruption, especially grand corruption? 

    “Perhaps, it is time to adopt new approaches to countering corruption in the region. It is our belief that current approaches are weak and/or incomprehensive.

    “Based on our work, we have identified that corruption thrives on three key elements – people, power and resources – that can be exploited or the gain to be made.”

    “We need innovative approaches and interventions that will target each of these key elements in a very comprehensive and collaborative manner.”

    Tukur spoke about the many efforts the country had made to address corruption, money laundering and terrorism financing.

    The NFIU boss said Nigeria was doing all within its capacity to conform to the requirements of FATF and UNCAC by effectively engaging in investigation, intelligence gathering, prosecution and assets recovery.

    He added: “Last year alone, we had more than 200 convictions in corruption cases in Nigeria. And that, by any standard, including global standard, is reasonable.

    “That is not the most important thing. The most important thing is that if you add money laundering and terrorism financing to it, we got more than 2,000 convictions.”

  • Toni Morrison; EFCC; Police; Governors’ ‘rain plans’

    ABCDEFGGHI=Avoid Bribery & Corruption Daily Everywhere For Good Governance Here Immediately.

    Toni Morrison US Nobel Laureate goes home at 88 years. Literature Laureates tend to live long but we are taxing our Professor Soyinka, 85, over ‘Revolution’ which has gotten Sowore incarcerated. What hope Nigeria?

    Morally, EFCC must use the correct administrative description and ‘allocate’ but not ‘donate’ seized loot. Even governors should ‘allocate’ and not ‘donate’ the people’s money! Should EFCC instead, legally and morally return misappropriated money, material and mansions from Badeh to the armed forces – the robbery victim?

    Sadly, three fine police officers shot dead for arresting a kingpin kidnapper without informing the local authorities perhaps to prevent leaks. The army and police must answer the ‘misunderstanding, murder, misinformation or mischief’ security question. Nigerians want the truth and the kidnapper. The other accused kidnapper, Evans is on a trial taking too long.

    It is rainy season! Governors send your staff out in the rain to help the citizen. Governance wrongly ‘makes life easy firstly for the political government people’ and sirens clear the roundabout and wardens open the road for the masked cars, jeeps and convoys, generators and furniture report and daily fuel arrives, salary and perks. The citizen also needs these things.

    When governors build expressways and misguidedly create and unleash unscrupulous transport authorities to arrest everyone parking, even where there is no traffic jam, or ‘No Parking’ sign, the governors approve entrapment, corruption, underhand payments and ruin business and Internally Generated Revenue, IGR. Out-of-town visitors will be chased away by roadblocks, LGA official thugs and area boys fleecing cars [like at Oja’Oba] and entry bottlenecks caused by roadside traders, vehicles and extortionist traffic staff. Even a potholed entrance to a city screams ‘We do not want your business!’

    Governors should train traffic staff to prevent traders blocking road lanes. My patients, staff and neigbouring traders and their customers had their cars impounded and billed N25,000 each with no ‘No Parking ‘ sign. Just government abuse of authority.

    Governors, with your new highways, plan to increase business. Partner with NISER’s underutilized traffic department. Traffic lights are not gods. Some cause more traffic than when they are not working. They must be regulated and altered to improve business for different times of the day. They require supervision and time and motion studies.

    Governors with your engineers, drive around towns and city streets. Roundabouts are a traffic education and opportunity for good governance and the trouble with the African ‘Junction Syndrome’ – ‘Orita Syndrome’ identified by Dr Olu Agunloye when he was Corps Marshal of FRSC. Contrast ‘Ease of Doing Business’ when roundabouts are empty at 6am on Sunday morning and at nightmare times like 10am or 7pm on a weekday when trading doubles in volume. Then see how strangled and dangerous and delaying they are made by unrestricted trading blocking the walkways and the wheelbarrows of wares reducing the road surface and the combined chaos caused by recalcitrant junction-hugging cult clusters of okada, keke, taxi/danfo. Free roundabouts, junctions, entrances and exits and you free the city, increasing time for business and pleasure opportunities.

    In Ibadan, Governor Makinde’s allowing okada and taxis access to Government House Road saved millions of hours and naira daily. Some traffic officials are extortionist pariah. How else can you explain the less than optimal traffic post at Bodija Market and at Oja’Oba Ibadan right in front of the Olubadan’s Palace both of which fail to keep traffic flowing and have no impact on keeping the two lanes open and free from being blocked by a line of taxies and on the other by a wheelbarrow gang which maliciously blocks a lane by parking wheelbarrows obstructing women traders. Solution: Get the traffic police to work, under supervision, to move everyone back five feet to restore the road to a two lane dual carriageway. And repeat at 1000 other places. Governors, the measure of your success will be the role of your staff in the Ease of Living and Moving and ‘What I can do with this authority to make life better.’  It is really about the ‘1000 Little Things’ needing doing in your state to make life better.  Governors must search for suffering, seek out solutions and solve the simple problems of life at every roundabout. Look, ask, see, send out your teams and serve us with solutions!

    Governor must make businesses accessible. In 1967 Ibadan obeyed roundabout laws. No longer. Roundabouts are round-blocks, no movement -just block!  It rained in Ibadan on Friday night. Every junction was blocked by ‘me-first’ drivers. Driving is a chess game, taking turns. During a two-hour failed outing, only good Samaritans manned junctions, well insulted for their effort. No rain resistant traffic officials at the 20 junctions I tried to cross.

    We have no teams of police, traffic warders, environment cleaners monitoring and clearing traffic and flood spots. No City Central Traffic Management Board? Governors and incoming ministers should please do the 1000 Little Things like a ‘WHEN IT RAINS PLAN’. Government cannot disappear. Anarchy can engulf traffic jams. A ‘WHEN IT RAINS PLAN’ keeps traffic flowing. Equip traffic police and environment officers with raincoat and umbrella and communication devices and protected traffic posts at junctions. This is good governance and one of ‘1000 Little Things’ governors and ministers must do. Governors must negotiate for police duty times of 5-6am to 9-10 pm with adequate overtime and rosters.

  • As EFCC finally takes on the power probe

    SIR: Nigeria is blessed with abundant human and material resources. Yet she has less than average ratings on the Mo Ibrahim Development Index 2018.  Compared to Ghana and Mali, with overall governance rankings of 28 and 6 out of 54 nations in Africa respectively, Nigeria is a distant 33 – and this is especially in matters of the safety of her citizens, rule of law, participation and human rights vis-à-vis sustainable economic opportunities open to her people.

    Part of what is responsible for our poor show as a people is because we have no power to sustain economic and social growth. In the past decade in Edo State, nobody can boast of having had power for 24 hours consecutively. Everyday businesses at the micro and macro levels grind to a halt over power outages. There is no night economy and crime, which festers in the dark, has escalated.  Dissatisfied with the power situation in Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, Edo State governor was reported to have expressed public sentiment by walking out the top gun of the Benin Electricity Distribution Compant, BEDC in a meeting. The Civil Society enclave as well has had several skirmishes with the BEDC on behalf of the Edo people.

    Unfortunately, these efforts have not given Edo people power to match their enterpreneural bent. While people in other states enjoy semi-constant power supply, Edo people rely on power generating sets 24hours thereby contributing to depleting the ozone and escalating the climate change debacle. Should we allow this to continue?

    There are tales on the street that there are two reasons why we are constantly and continuously in the dark. According to the former Minister of Power, Babatunde Fashola, SAN, former Nigerian leaders unbundled the Power Holding Corporation of Nigeria, PHCN, and sold certain elements of the distribution of power to their cronies and girlfriends. The way things are, the government of the day has no power to repudiate those sales without further complicating issues for ordinary Edo people seeking to sustain their economic and social lives.

    We understand that another reason there is regular power outage in Benin City especially is that monies for power projects were stolen. An investigation by TELL Magazine, March 16 2009, revealed that Olusegun Obasanjo, former president, initiated a National Integrated Power Project, NIPP mostly because Nigeria generated a miserable 2,000 MW then. According to Dimeji Bankole, former Speaker, the administration paid well over $16billion to contractors handling the power projects but nothing came out of the $NIPP project. That amount translates to trillions of naira and kobo, and would have been put to use to power even the tiniest village in Nigeria with 24hours electricity.

    Under the Umaru Yar’Adua admin, the House of Representatives set up the Ndudi Elumelu Power panel to probe how the $16billion was spent. Even though the report was adjudged by TELL to be biased against the Obasanjo administration because of its tone and temperament, it could well have provided baseline study into the remote causes of constant blackout in Nigeria and Edo State in particular. We recommend as well that Buhari should wield the big stick, and land it heavily on anyone found complicit in the deterioration of power supply in Nigeria.

    Edo is a state supposedly enjoying good relationship with the government at the centre. It is also an oil and gas producing state. Her son is the head of the party in power, and therefore there should be no reason why Edo people and residents should suffer the kind of hardship they go through daily.

    • Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku,

    Benin City.

  • AbdulRazaq to partner EFCC in recovery of looted funds

    Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said on Tuesday that his administration will partner with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to combat graft, including recovering funds looted from the state’s treasury.

    AbdulRazaq said corruption had almost crippled Kwara State when he took over on May 29, lamenting how the N2 billion the state accessed to boost small-scale businesses was diverted and shared by some persons.

    According to the governor, this meant that the state government would now have N35 million deducted from its account every month.

    “I got a letter (last week) from the Federal Ministry of Finance, saying they will now deduct N35 million every month from our account because the state government, a few years ago, took N2 billion for small and medium scale businesses,” AbdulRazaq said at a stakeholders’ forum on value reorientation and the fight against corruption in Ilorin, the state capital.

    The event was organised by the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency (NOA).

    Read Also: Kwara to partner AfDB on infrastructure development, others

    The governor said he contemplated asking the ministry to compile the names of individuals, who siphoned the money so they could be made to refund it. He, however, added that he was glad that the EFCC has taken proactive steps to recover the money.

    AbdulRazaq said he would not tolerate diversion of public funds under his watch, recalling how corruption had led to the collapse of basic amenities in the hospitals, schools and other sectors of the economy.

    The governor lamented that the state has missed out on several development initiatives because of corruption, citing the example of the diversion of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) funds, the resultant blacklisting of the state on account of that, and the effect on the state of basic education in Kwara.

    He added that the state under him has normalised relations with UBEC and would soon, on paying its own counterpart funds, access money that would help reposition the sector.

    The EFCC Zonal Head in Kwara State, Isyaku Sharu, called for a reorientation of the populace on the menace of corruption.

    “Can we over-emphasise the role of our parents/guardians in these regards? I state no. In fact, a critical aspect of the need for value reorientation rests heavily on parental/guardian roles. The home, being the first point of contact of a child, is the factory house for building positive values in a child,” he said.

    “Sadly, however, most parents/guardians are now being found wanting in this all-important responsibility wherein they usually concentrate more efforts on their jobs or businesses or the struggle to make ends meet.”

  • Be more secretive and confidential, Alaafin urges Magu

    The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, has advised the nation’s anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to be more discreet and confidential in their fight against corruption, saying the success recorded by the agency has gone a long way in helping restore confidence to the image of the country.

    This is as the monarch pledged his support and cooperation to the agency in the fight against corruption, saying the greatest gift the EFCC can give to the country is recovering all the nation’s wealth stolen by people.

    The first-class monarch spoke while playing host to the acting chairman of the Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, in his Oyo palace.

    Magu was represented by the Ibadan Zonal Head, Mr. Friday Ebelo, who led other top officials of the commission to seek the collaboration and support of the monarch in the fight against corruption as parts of the plans to enlist people at the grassroots on the anti-corruption war.

    The Alaafin, who noted that the eighth national assembly frustrated the confirmation of the appointment of Magu because they (the lawmakers) have skeleton in their cupboard, enjoined the team led by the anti-corruption czar not to be discouraged in the face of harassment and intimidation, noting that the nation depends on the efficiency of the agency and as such must not be allowed to fail.

    Read Also: BREAKING: EFCC arraigns seven over unlawful possession of N1.1b gold, €112,800 cash

    Alaafin said, “Nigeria is very rich but what is killing us is corruption. Just this morning (yesterday), I read in the papers that the EFCC has been able to gather from fraudulent people N500billion. That attests to the efficacy of your work.

    “Whether we like it or not, we must serve you. I must encourage you, we must support you, cooperate with you, otherwise what will kill Nigeria is corruption. The fear of EFCC is driving some looters to several parts of the world, but you have been going after them and catching them. There is no hiding place for them and I want to commend you.

    “The eighth national assembly tried to do everything possible not to get Magu appointed because they had a skeleton in their cupboards.”

    Speaking earlier, Ebelo told the monarch that the team’s visit was at the instance of the commission’s acting chairman, who, according to him, has decided to engage the traditional institutions across the country in the campaign against corruption in order to get the message down to the grassroots more effectively, assuring the monarch that Magu would soon visit him personally.

    Ebelo said, “The EFCC Ibadan zonal office is visiting the Alaafin of Oyo on behalf of EFCC acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu, to rally the traditional institutions’ support in the fight against corruption and other issues coming up in recent times. We now have cybercrime and internet-related frauds that youths of late are getting themselves involved in.”

  • How corruption fuels insecurity, by Magu

    The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu, has said there is a strong link between corruption and the growing insecurity across the country.

    The EFCC chief said the need for concerted efforts in fighting the scourge is non-negotiable, if the country’s peace must be restored.

    Magu spoke in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, while featuring on the University of Ibadan (UI) Diamond 101.1 FM during the agency’s weekly programme of the agency, “Eagle Alert”.

    The EFCC chief, who was represented by the Ibadan Zonal Head, Mr. Friday Ebelo, noted that the deprivation occasioned by high-level of corruption had created fertile grounds for all forms of criminality which in turn threaten the country’s peace and security.

    He said: “You can’t separate the growing insecurity from corruption. The surest path to peace in our country is to take care of the menace of corruption.

    Read Also: EFCC nabs 15 suspected Yahoo boys

    “If we succeed in stemming corruption, we will berth a working system in which the problem of infrastructural deficit will be addressed. Ignorance will be kept at bay, and there will be more jobs for the people. All that will effectively address the problem of insecurity.”

    Calling for cooperation from the public in the campaign against graft, Magu noted that despite the powers granted it by the law, the EFCC cannot alone win the battle.

    The acting chairman advised parents to show genuine interest in the development of their wards.

    He said rather than encourage unmerited flamboyancy, parents must ask sincere questions when they notice that their children or wards start living questionable life styles.

    The “Eagle Alert” is a weekly sensitisation programme on UI radio station.

    It is designed to propagate the activities of the EFCC and avail the public the opportunity to take advantage of its mandates.

  • Two ex-governors, 103 others in trouble over N5tr debts

    A new battle plan to recover N5trillion debts has been drawn up, it was learnt yesterday.

    A task force, which will recover the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) debts has been raised by the Federal Government.

    Some 105 businessmen and companies are owing the toxic debts.

    Twenty individuals and firms account for N3.35trillion (67 %) of the N5trillion debts.

    The debtors may lose their assets, unless they pay up.

    It was learnt that the government may invoke against the debtors the Interim Forfeiture Clause in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Establishment Act 2004 and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (2000) Act.

    The decision to raise a task force was taken at a closed-door meeting between Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and some heads of anti-graft agencies.

    Read also: EFCC marks nine choice assets linked to Okorocha, family members

    At the meeting were EFCC Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu; ICPC Chairman Bolaji Owasanoye; NFIU Director/Chief Executive Modibbo Tukur; Federal Ministry of Transportation Permanent Secretary Sabiu Zakari and other senior government officials.

    Although a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity (Office of the Vice President), Mr. Laolu Akande, was silent on the list of the debtors, The Nation  unmasked them.

    A breakdown of the list of debtors includes a senator, a former senator, a former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, a former secretary to the government of the Federation (SGF); two former governors, including one serving a jail term, a former Minister of Power and nine others. There are also two former Managing Directors of distressed banks; a newspaper publisher, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and a former powerful associate of an ex-President

    A source at the meeting said: “The task force, including anti-graft agencies, will move in immediately to recover the debts. They have been mandated to invoke the Interim Assets Forfeiture Clause where necessary.

    “Of the 105 debtors, 20, comprising businessmen and companies, owe N3.350trillion. This is about 67 per cent.

    “We can no longer allow these debtors to hold the nation to ransom. Some of them are hiding under the law to refuse to pay their debts. Recent profiling of these debtors shows that some of them have the wherewithal to offset their outstanding loans.”

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity (Office of the Vice President), Mr. Laolu Akande, said: “In a renewed and spirited effort to ensure the effective recovery of over N5 Trillion being outstanding debts owed the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), a new task force has been set up to get the job done without fail.

    ”Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, gave the indication during a meeting with board members and management of AMCON and selected heads of government agencies, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday evening.

    ”Those agencies include the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and also the Permanent Secretaries of the Justice and Transport Ministries.

    ”To this effect, a special task force/committee comprising the Heads of AMCON, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Ministry of Justice, will be working to develop and implement new strategies that will ensure that the determination of the FG to recover the money is speedily achieved.

    ”Osinbajo said all the relevant agencies have to re-strategise to achieve the desired results.

    ”The key is collaboration. We need a small team comprising these agencies to look at the next steps that we need to take, especially the criminal aspect, forfeiture, and all of that,” Osinbajo added.

    The statement said the Vice President asked the task force should look at the top 20 AMCON defaulters closely and develop “a plan of action that brings results”.

    Osinbajo had in May met with the AMCON management on how to resolve the debt crisis.

    According to AMCON Chairman Muiz Banire almost 67 per cent of the outstanding N5tn debt is owed by just 20 individuals/entities.

    Banire noted that the agency had been “trying its best in its attempt to recover this through the civil judicial process, but had encountered several challenges”.

     

  • Alleged $2.4b loot: Magu faults UK’s slow action on ex-Minister Diezani

    Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu on Wednesday faulted the United Kingdom (UK) for foot-dragging on the investigation and trial of former Petroleum Resources minister Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

    Mrs. Alison-Madueke, who has been in the UK since 2015, is being investigated by the UK government on issues of corruption.

    But Magu said it was regretful that the matter has dragged on in the UK for more than four years with no visible result and no end in sight.

    He spoke when a team of International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) at the Abuja headquarters of the EFCC.

    Magu said: “There is the case of Mrs. Alison-Madueke which has been going on for over four years and the amount involved is about $2.4 billion and no kobo has been recovered from overseas.

    “Though we have recovered some of the proceeds of the crime, we are still tracing others.”

    He, however, said the commission’s relationship with INTERPOL has made it easier to place suspects on red notice.

    He added: “Though we have not been able to arrest some of these fleeing people, it is good that they know they are on red notice, as there are Nigerians like Alison-Madueke whom we have applied for.”

    Read Also: EFCC marks nine choice assets linked to Okorocha, family members

    A statement by the agency’s Acting Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Tony Orilade, quoted Magu as saying: “Getting Alison-Madueke, Dan Etete, (former petroleum minister), Mohammed Adoke (former attorney general and minister of justice), all of whom are overseas and facing fraud cases in Nigeria, back to the country has been a problem.

    “He therefore, urged their new countries of residence to either prosecute them or hand them over to Nigeria since they are Nigerians.”

    The EFCC boss assured Interpol of the commission’s continued support towards the strengthening of collaboration, particularly in information sharing.

    He added: “We are willing to cooperate with Interpol at all times, if there is anything other enforcement agencies cannot provide especially in financial crime, the Interpol is sure to get result here in EFCC because we specialise in financial crime, money laundering and terrorist financing.

    “We are thankful for Interpol residency in the EFCC i24/7. We are delighted that the collaboration with Interpol is yielding results, especially in the area of intelligence.”

    He, further, thanked Interpol for capacity building it offers the staff of the commission, especially in the light of the upcoming programme in Ghana.

    The Interpol’s Coordinator on Anti-corruption, Sebastian Bley, commended the efforts of the EFCC in the fight against corruption.

    He said: “We are fostering our relationship with selected law enforcement agencies in Nigeria because we are doing a set of activities which have been fruitful. One area we will need to be stronger is the area of case coordination support.

    “What we do basically is capacity building, expert working group meetings and regional training workshop. The next workshop is coming up in August in Ghana and the EFCC will participate.”

    Bley further informed the Commission that the Interpol was ready to offer it support in all areas of its mandate.

    He said: “INTERPOL can take care of logistics; we can give support in terms of investigation and recovery of funds. Interpol is the platform, the channel that allows law enforcement agencies to gather together and exchange sensitive information among themselves as a closed group.

    “We thank the great collaboration we have with the EFCC and we are looking forward to foster the relationship. The capacity building in Ghana which the EFCC is contributing is a good step.”

    On the INTERPOL delegation were: Umar Garba Baba Commissioner of Police (CP); Ude Sunday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP); Ogundele Adewale (Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) and Olude Ademola a Police Inspector.

  • EFCC marks nine choice assets linked to Okorocha, family members

    ROCHAS Foundation School, East High College and seven other choice properties linked to the immediate past governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha and members of his family have been sealed in the Southeast state.

    They were sealed on Tuesday night by officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The anti-graft agency said it decided to mark the assets because the former governor and his relations spurned its invitation for questioning.

    The other assets are: Royal Spring Palm Hotel and Apartment, a 16 block cum 96 flats and eight bungalow multi-million naira estate, allegedly belonging to Okorocha’s wife; a hospital-owned by Dr. Paschal Obi, a former Principal Secretary to the former governor; and East High Academy and East High College, owned by Okorocha’s daughter, Uloma Okorocha-Nwosu, among others.

    The commission said it at no time “raided” nor “harassed” anyone in the course of marking the properties.

    It denied raiding and displacing students of Rochas Foundation College because the school was not in session.

    The Commission urged Nigerians to disregard the antics of some unscrupulous politicians and fraudsters.

    The EFCC made the clarifications in a statement in Abuja through its Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Tony Orilade.

    The statement said: “The EFCC wishes to state that its Enugu Zonal Office on Tuesday traced and marked some properties traced to the former Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha as well as those of his family members and cronies.

    “The marking of the properties which is a fall-out of our painstaking investigation, is as a result of the failure of the suspects to honour the commission’s invitation for questioning on the propriety of their acquisition.

    Read also: I have no hand in EFCC’s investigation of Okorocha , says Ihedioha

    “The properties include: Dews of Hope Hospital traced to Dr. Paschal Obi, former Principal Secretary to ex-governor Okorocha; Market Square Super Market; All in One Shop; and premises belonging to Imo State Broadcasting Corporation now hosting Rochas Foundation College owned by Senator Okorocha.

    “Other properties are: East High Academy and East High College, owned by Okorocha’s daughter, Uloma Okorocha-Nwosu; Royal Spring Palm Hotel and Apartment, a 16 block cum 96 flats and eight bungalow multi-million naira estate traced to Okorocha’s wife.

    The EFCC explained that it gave occupants of the properties adequate notice before moving in.

    The statement added: “The commission at no time “raided” nor “harassed” anyone in the course of marking the properties as its operatives, in line with international best practices, informed the occupants of the facilities in good time, before taking the action.

    “It is also pertinent to state that the commission has pictorial and video evidences which put a lie to the claim that Rochas Foundation College was allegedly raided by the EFCC while in session.

    “This could not be so because the school was not in session and could not have had its students harassed as was fed some online media.

    “The commission would ordinarily not bother with any allegation coming from the camp of Senator Okorocha, having noted his penchant for frivolities and propaganda; but this rebuttal has become pertinent in other to clear doubts especially in these days of fake news.

    “We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to disregard the antics of some unscrupulous politicians and fraudsters who seek to distract the Commission from holding them accountable for their nefarious activities.”

    The EFCC explanation put paid to insinuations that the anti-graft agency’s moved followed series of petitions written against the former governor by the Governor Emeka Ihedioha-led administration.

    Among other things, the former governor was accused of converting government property to personal use.

    When The Nation visited the college and other assets, there was a bold sign with the inscription “under investigation keep off by EFCC” written on the gates.

    But Okorocha accused the EFCC of collaborating with the PDP-led government to witch hunt him.

    The former governor, now the Senator representing Imo West, said that the closure of the Rochas Foundation College, other businesses and property belonging to him and his family members without formal invitation, was a confirmation that the Commission was out to intimidate and harass him.

    Okorocha’s reaction was contained in a statement by his media adviser, Sam Onwuemeodo.

    He said in the statement: “What is obvious is that the PDP government in the State with Chief Emeka Ihedioha as governor and all the PDP Chieftains who felt politically displaced from 2011 to 2019 by Rochas Okorocha had come together to launch war against Rochas and his family, and APC members. And that was why they needed INEC to declare their Candidate winner even when he didn’t meet the requirement. Unfortunately, they have instigated certain agencies like EFCC into taking some hasty actions following flood of petitions by them.

    “Our concern about the action of the EFCC is the approach. There was no prior invitation to the managements or proprietors of the Colleges and other establishments sealed by the Commission as expected before such action.

    “To the best of our knowledge too, these Colleges have not been under the investigation of the Commission. We have had the feeling that the Sealing of the Colleges or any other structure as the case maybe, would have been based on the outcome of their investigation in which the managements or the proprietors would have also been interrogated.

    “On July 23, as at about 6am, agents of the EFCC from its Office in Enugu with Hilux buses loaded with armed military and mobile policemen stormed the Rochas Foundation College Owerri, with more than three thousand students, and most of them, orphans, and sealed the college.

    “The Commission also sealed the East High College and Academy, Owerri with Uloma Rochas Nwosu as the proprietor, among other investments belonging to the former governor and family which the commission sealed.

    “The action of EFCC with the presence of heavily armed military and Police Mobile Personnel frightened the students and most of them began to cry. It was a sympathetic scenario.

    “What is obvious is that the PDP government in the state with Chief Emeka Ihedioha as governor and all the PDP chieftains who felt politically displaced from 2011 to 2019 by Rochas Okorocha had come together to launch war against Rochas and his family and APC members.

    “And that was why they needed INEC to declare their candidate winner even when he didn’t meet the requirement. Unfortunately, they have instigated certain agencies like EFCC into taking some hasty actions following flood of petitions by them.

    “Our concern about the action of the EFCC is the approach. There was no prior invitation to the managements or proprietors of the Colleges and other establishments sealed by the Commission as expected before such action. To the best of our knowledge too, these Colleges have not been under the investigation of the Commission.

    “We have had the feeling that the sealing of the Colleges or any other structure as the case maybe, would have been based on the outcome of their investigation in which the managements or the proprietors would have also been interrogated.”