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Tag: EFCC

  • EFCC probes N8.7billion fraud in JAMB

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched into a probe of the cash inflow and outflow of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) between 2010 and 2016.

    The anti-graft agency wants to get to the root of an alleged N8.7billion fraud in the board.

    Fifteen suspects have already been shortlisted for trial.

    Among them are some zonal heads and state coordinators. One of the suspects facing trial is a female accountant, Philomena Chise, whose sensational claim that  a snake swallowed N36million raked in from the sales of e-facility cards rocked the nation.

    Chise later told EFCC operatives that the said N36milion was disbursed as an I-Owe-You advance to cash-strapped staff.

    The N8.7billion alleged fraud is said to have predated the present JAMB management, led by Prof. Ishaq Oloyede.

    A document detailing the alleged fraud and sighted by The Nation says the large sum was revenue from sales of e-facility cards and change of course cards which ended in private pockets.

    “The remittance of over N8billion by Oloyede to the Federal Government as revenue led to the Forensic Investigation of Financial Activities of JAMB between 2010 and 2016 by Faithpro Consulting Auditing Associate (Financial and Management Consultants),” it says.

    “The forensic investigators came up with N8.7billion shortfall within the same period which the EFCC has been investigating. There are about 15 suspects who may face trial in the first batch.”

    Some of the states where the fraud was detected include Benue, Nasarawa, Kano, Kogi, Plateau, Gombe, Yobe and Edo.

    Read also: EFCC arraigns dismissed judge Ajumogobia for ‘money laundering’

    Some of the  suspects under investigation, who may face trial   include Chise and Sale Umar (Benue); Labaran Tanko (Nasarawa);  Daniel Agbo (Kogi), Yakubu Jekada (Plateau),  Patricia Ogunsola and  Cyril Izireim Imoukhuede (Edo); Murtala Abdul (Gombe); Aliyu Yakubu (Kano) among others.

    The report adds: “In Benue,  out of the expected revenue of N124, 180,00 from e-facility cards,  only N88,700,000  was remitted leaving a balance of N35.48million.

    “The JAMB office in the state also received 10,210 change of course cards and instead of remitting N8, 025,000, about N7million was paid into the designated account. About N1,025,000 is missing till date.

    “Although JAMB’s preliminary findings claimed that Chise confessed that a snake swallowed the N36m unremitted cash, she told the EFCC detectives that the shortfall was an I-Owe-You advance to cash-strapped staff that are yet to refund same.”

    Employees in Yobe State claimed to have  “lost sales records because of attacks on Damaturu by Boko Haram.”

    The story is similar in Edo State “where N26,400,000 is missing. Out of the expected revenue from e-facility cards of about N123, 933,000, only N97,533,000 was paid into the relevant account.”

    In Gombe, about N40, 004,000 sales revenue was realized but only N29, 073,000 was remitted leaving a balance of N10,269,000.”

    “An officer in Kano, in his efforts to cover up for 20,000 unaccounted cards worth N20million, cut carbon papers in the form of e-facility cards and returned these cards as unused.”

    The document revealed findings on Nasarawa State where an officer claimed to have lost over N24,037,000 cards in a road crash.

    The document added: “Investigation revealed that Mr. Labaran Tanko was the JAMB State Coordinator of Lafia Office, Nasarawa State between 2011 and 2016.

    “Investigation revealed that within the period of his tenure, Nasarawa State Office revealed a total of 24,882 e-facility cards out of which 24,037 were unsold while 845 were sold at the rate of N1,000 each. The expected revenue was N845,000 realized  and remitted to JAMB.

    “However he claimed that the remaining 23,147 cards got burnt in an accident he had along Lafia-Akwanga Expressway while 890 cards were missing.

    “Meanwhile, contrary to his submission, forensic evidence obtained from the IT Unit of JAMB showed that the cards were sold and utilized by candidates within Nasarawa State and its environs.

    “This forensic evidence showed the name, phone number and purpose for which the cards were used. The expected revenue from  the claimed burnt/missing cards was N24,037,000. The revenue from the cards, which were actually sold and utilized based on forensic evidence, was never remitted to JAMB.

    “Also investigation revealed that 2,000 CBT cards were supplied to Nasarawa State Office which were never sold. Rather,  the State Coordinator claimed that  the said 2,000 CBT cards were among the cards that got burnt in  road accident along Lafia-Akwanga Expressway.

    Contrary to the claim, investigation recovered forensic evidence which showed that the cards were actually not burnt but utilized by candidates within Nasarawa State and its environs. This forensic evidence further revealed the details of candidates hat used the cards, such as name, phone number and purpose for which the cards were used.

    “Further investigation revealed that 4, 589 change of course cards were supplied to Nasarawa State Office of which they sold 1,426 at the rate of N2,500 each while 3, 163 cards were unused and same was remitted to JAMB.  However, the State Coordinator claimed that the remaining 3,163 cards got burnt in the same road accident.  Forensic evidence, however, proved otherwise.”

  • EFCC arraigns dismissed judge Ajumogobia for ‘money laundering’

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned a dismissed Federal High Court judge, Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, for alleged money laundering.

    She was charged with a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Godwin Obla, who was absent.

    Justice Rilwan Aikawa issued a summons for him to appear on the day fixed for trial.

    When the case was called for the defendants’ to take their pleas, prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo said efforts to reach Obla were unsuccessful.

    The lawyer said the SAN’s phones were switched off and that his lawyer could not confirm his whereabouts.

    He said: “I can say that the second defendant (Obla) is at large. I called the counsel representing him; he informed me that he could not reach Mr Obla. The commission also took steps to contact him, but we discovered that he switched off his phone.

    “We were not expecting difficulties in producing him in court, considering our gesture to him.”

    Only Ofili-Ajumogobia was arrested by EFCC operatives on Tuesday after the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja struck out a previous charge against her and Obla for lack of jurisdiction.

    “Before trial commences, we’ll do our best to produce him,” Oyedepo told Justice Aikawa.

    He urged the court to issue summons for Obla and to allow Ajumogobia to take her plea alone.

    The court granted the prayer and the charges were read to Ofili-Ajumogobia.

    EFCC said she and Obla conspired on May 21, 2014, to indirectly conceal and retain N5 million in the Diamond Bank account of Nigel and Colive Limited.

    Read Also: EFCC appeals verdict on Goje’s no-case submission

    According to the commission, they “reasonably ought to have known that the money forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: unlawful enrichment”.

    The alleged offence is contrary to sections 15 (2) (a) and 18 (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 and punishable under Section 15 (3).

    Ofili-Ajumogobia was also accused of indirectly concealing N12 million in the same account, despite knowing that it was a proceed of “unlawful enrichment”, contrary to Section (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.

    The commission said she indirectly retained $150,000 in her account on May 30, 2013, knowing that it was a proceed of “unlawful enrichment”.

    EFCC said she further retained $20,000 on June 11, 2013; $30,000 on February 11, 2014; $50,000 on March 27, 2014 and another $150,000 on March 29, 2014 in the same Diamond Bank (now Access Bank) account.

    The prosecution said she also illegally retained $70,000 on June 2, 2014; $55,000 on October 14, 2014; $50,000 on November 21, 2014; another $50,000 on December 20, 2014 and $30,000 between June 17 and 19, 2015.

    In Count 17, EFCC alleged that Ajumogobia, on or about June 5, 2012, indirectly retained N18 million from Arkleen Oil and Gas Limited in her account domiciled in Access Bank Plc.

    The commission said she also reasonably ought to have known that the money “forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: unlawful enrichment…”

    In the last count, Ofili-Ajumogobia allegedly made a false statement to an officer that N33 million was paid into her account for the purchase of a landed property on Rita Ajumogobia Street, Asaba, Delta State capital.

    The alleged offence of lying to an officer contravenes Section 39 (2) of the EFCC Act.

    After pleading not guilty to the 18-count charge, Ofili-Ajumogobia’s lawyer, Mr Wale Akoni (SAN), urged the court to grant her bail on self-cognisance.

    He said the defendant was a serving judicial officer and that she did not jump bail for once while on trial at the Lagos High Court.

    Oyedepo opposed the application on the ground that Ofili-Ajumogobia had been dismissed by the National Judicial Council (NJC) on corruption-related offences.

    But Akoni said Ofili-Ajumogoba remains a judge until President Muhammadu Buhari ratifies the NJC decision.

    “What the NJC does is to recommend someone for dismissal in line with Section 292 (1) (b) of the 1999 Constitution. Until the President acts on the recommendation, she remains a judge. There is no evidence that the President has done so,” Akoni said.

    Justice Aikawa held that Ofili-Ajumogobia was entitled to bail since the alleged offence was bailable.

    He granted her bail for N10 million with one surety in like sum.

    The surety, the judge said, must be a civil servant not below Grade Level 16 in Federal or state employment and must own a landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.

    Justice Aikawa said the defendant should deposit her international passport with the court’s Deputy Chief Registrar.

    He released Ofili-Ajumogobia to her lawyer pending when she perfects her bail conditions, which must be within the next seven working days.

    Justice Aikawa said he did so after considering the public holidays.

    On Obla, the judge said: “An order is hereby made for the issuance of summons compelling Mr Godwin Obla (SAN) to appear before this court on May 15 for the purpose of trial.

    “The case is hereby adjourned for trial till May 15.”

     

  • EFCC appeals verdict on Goje’s no-case submission

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a cross-appeal at the Court of Appeal sitting in Jos, the Plateau State capital, against the judgment of a Federal High Court in Gombe, which partially upheld a no-case submission by former Governor Danjuma Goje.

    The commission tried Goje on an amended N5billion fraud charge.

    He was charged along with Alhaji Aliyu U. El-Nafaty and S.M. Dokoro Gombe (aka S.M Dokoro).

    EFCC, through its prosecuting counsel Wahab Shittu, said Goje, between September and November 2010, allegedly forged a document titled: Resolution authorising His Excellency the Executive Governor of Gombe State to acquire loan of N5,000,000,000.00 only with Ref. No: GM/HA/RES/VOL. 1/17.

    The commission said the resolution was purportedly signed by Clerk of the Gombe State House of Assembly Shehu Atiku with the intent that it be used or acted upon as genuine by Access Bank Plc.

    The commission said its investigation on the N5 billion facility obtained from Access Bank by the Goje administration for infrastructural projects revealed that the purported House resolution authorising it was forged.

    Ruling on Goje’s no-case submission, Justice O. B. Quadri, on March 22, dismissed 19 of the 21-count charge, retaining only two.

    Goje filed an appeal to challenge the court’s refusal to up-hold his no-case submission in its entirety.

    In its cross-appeal, EFCC said the lower court erred in numerous respects.

    The commission said the lower court embarked on extensive evaluation of evidence, including the credibility of prosecution witnesses in its ruling.

    Read also: EFCC arraigns dismissed judge Ajumogobia for ‘money laundering’

    “The court at the stage of no case submission is not expected to consider credibility of witnesses or evaluate the evidence,” Shittu said.

    Besides, he said the lower court ignored prima facie evidential materials contained in several exhibits tendered before court.

    The EFCC counsel added that the court failed to consider that the N5billion facility did not comply with rules for capital expenditure, and that the purported resolution auhorising the loan was forged.

    After highlighting several other errors by the lower court, Shittu urged the Court of Appeal to set aside aspects of the ruling sustaining Goje’s no case submission.

    EFCC sought an order directing the defendants to enter their defence in respect of the counts for which they were discharged.

  • EFCC arrests 40 Federal Inland Revenue workers over N2.1b scam

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 40 senior management and junior Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) officials for an alleged N2.1billion scam.

    The cash was said to have been siphoned through alleged payment of Duty Tour Allowances (DTA) to the staff.

    Some of the suspects were paid as much as N101million, N97million, N89million, N84million, N65million, N52million and N46million as Duty Tour Allowances.

    Some of those arrested have started paying back the illicit payments made to them.

    The international passports of 10 of the officials have been seized to restrict their movement to the country pending investigation.

    The EFCC has also written some embassies to retrieve the passports of some of the officials.

    The anti-graft commission said it was expecting the most senior director for interrogation as the approving authority of the DTA allowances.

    Although the official is said to be on medical treatment abroad, the EFCC said there was no evidence before it to show that he is ill.

    Detectives have, however, quizzed the Director of Finance, Mr. M. Auta, who claimed to have acted on the instructions of the Coordinating Director.

    There has been no evidence of any fraud link to the Executive Chairman, Mr. Babatunde Fowler.

    According to a fact-sheet obtained yesterday, the EFCC is “investigating alleged inflation of Duty Tour Allowances, humongous payments to staff, diversion of funds and outright stealing of public funds”.

    The document said: “There was information that some senior management staff were using some middle and junior cadre of the service to siphon funds from the accounts of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in the guise of travelling allowances.

    Read also: EFCC to re-arraign ex-judge Ajumogobia today

    “For the records, the fraudulent practices were perpetrated between 2017 and 2018. Initially, the accounts of the staff were scrutinised and over N2.1billion was discovered to have been paid to them by the FIRS.

    “However, a proper scrutiny was carried out. During investigation, their normal salaries, DTA were deducted and finally what was illegally paid to these staff was N1.6billion.

    “The funds were paid to the staff and after little deductions, the bulk of the money was usually given to the senior management staff. Prominent among those who have a case to answer is a Coordinating Director.

    “As civil servants, some of the suspects were paid as much as N101million, N97million, N89million, N84million, N65million, N52million and N46million as Duty Tour Allowances. There is no way a civil servant can earn about N101million in his or her 35 years in service. In some instances, some staff claimed to have been in Lagos, Sokoto, Calabar on the same day and collected DTA.

    “Most of the DTA allowances were actually not used for official purposes or public service. This is a case of  stealing and money laundering.

    “So far, about 40 staff were involved but about 10 staff were detained and released on bail after scrutiny.

    “We are looking for the most Senior Coordinating Director in the agency but the FIRS claimed he travelled out for medical treatment abroad. We invited him to come on or before last Tuesday but he is yet to report. We  have not yet seen any medical report.

    “We won’t be able to determine how much was credited to him until he is interrogated. We are looking for him. Even if he resigns, as being speculated, he has to answer the allegations against him.

    “So far, the Director of Finance of FIRS, Mr. M. Auta has been quizzed by detectives. He admitted that he acted on approvals and instructions by the Coordinating Director.”

    The document gave an update on the status of investigation by EFCC detectives.

    It said: “The commission has seized the passports of Auta and nine other staff to restrict their movement to the country. We are trying to retrieve the passports of some of the staff from a few embassies pending the conclusion of investigation.

    “This is just one case out of many fraud alerts in the FIRS. Some sections in EFCC are also handling same matters on other amounts.

    “Some amounts have been recovered from those invited, interrogated and detained.”

    The Acting Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC Tony Orilade said: “I am not aware, I have not been briefed.”

  • EFCC to re-arraign ex-judge Ajumogobia today

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will today re-arraign a former Federal High Court judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, on fresh criminal charges.

    She will be re-arraigned before Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Lagos, the Division she sat as a judge before she was sacked by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

    The EFCC filed an 18-count charge against her.

    The development is coming on the heels of her arrest after the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja struck out a previous charge against her on Tuesday for lack of jurisdiction.

    Read also: Drama in court as EFCC re-arrests Ofili-Ajumogobia

    Ajumogobia will be brought to court from EFCC’s custody, it was learnt.

    A former EFCC prosecutor, Mr Godwin Obla (SAN), is the second defendant in the charge.

    EFCC said the duo conspired on May 21, 2014, to indirectly conceal N5 million in the Diamond Bank account of Nigel and Colive Limited, which the prosecutor said they “reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: unlawful enrichment”

  • EFCC to re-arraign dismissed Ajumogobia Thursday

    She will be re-arraigned before Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Lagos, the Division she sat as a judge before she was sacked by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

    The EFCC filed an 18-count charge against her.

    It follows her arrest after the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja struck out a previous charge against her on Tuesday for lack of jurisdiction.

    Ajumogobia will be brought to court from EFCC’s custody, it was learnt.

    A former EFCC prosecutor Mr Godwin Obla (SAN) is the second defendant in the charge numbered FHC/139C/19.

    READ ALSO: Breaking: EFCC lays siege in Court to arrest Ajumogobia

    EFCC said they conspired on May 21, 2014, to indirectly conceal N5million in the Diamond Bank account of Nigel & Colive Ltd which they “reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: unlawful enrichment”.

    The alleged offence is contrary sections 15 (2) (a) and 18 (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 and punishable under Section 15 (3).

    Ajumogobia was also accused of indirectly concealing N12million in the same account.

    EFCC, in another count, said she made a false statement to an officer that the money was payment for a property sale.

  • Drama in court as EFCC re-arrests Ofili-Ajumogobia

    There was a mild drama at an Ikeja High Court as officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) apprehended a former judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia.

    The incident happened after Justice Hakeem Oshodi struck out a 31-count charge filed against the embattled judge.

    As she was leaving the courtroom at 10.30 a.m, after the ruling, she saw some EFCC operatives waiting to re-arrest her.

    On she sighted them, the judge hastily went back into Justice Oshodi’s courtroom, apparently for protection.

    When Justice Oshodi was informed about the development, the trial judge said the matter was beyond him and that there was nothing he could do as “the file has been closed”.

    The embattled judge and her husband, who accompanied her, were later seen making calls, apparently to avert her arrest.

    But when Mr Godwin Obla (SAN), Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia’s co-defendant, was set to leave the court, none of the EFCC operative stopped him.

    Read also: Suspects held, cash seized during polls, says EFCC

    Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia was re-arrested after Justice Oshodi rose at noon and was driven away in a white Hilux van with registration number (Abuja) BWR637AT.

    Justice Oshodi had struck out a 31-count charge filed by the EFCC against Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia and Obla on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit.

    The judge was charged with alleged perversion of justice, unlawful enrichment and forgery; Obla was alleged to have offered N5 million gratification to the judge.

    The judge held that based on the judicial precedent set in the case of Justice Nganjuwa V FRN, the EFCC had “jumped the gun” in filing the first amended charge.

    According to Justice Oshodi, the EFCC failed to follow the procedures set by the National Judicial Council (NJC) in disciplining erring judicial officers.

    In an application, dated November 27, last year, Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia’s counsel, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN), prayed the court to discharge and acquit his client based on Appeal Court ruling on Nganjuwa vs FRN.

    Justice Oshodi held that the prosecutor wasted the time of the court, knowing that the court lacked jurisdiction, yet amended the charge to call 12 witnesses.

    The judge expressed displeasure that the judicial system made no provision to fine the prosecutor for wasting the judicious time of the court.

    He said: “As at Monday, December 11, 2017, the EFCC was aware of the decision reached by the Court of Appeal in Nganjuwa vs FRN. As at that date, the amended information was yet to be filed and the 12th prosecution witness was still giving evidence.

    “The prosecution persisted like a bull running amok and still called two more witnesses and precious judicial time was wasted. We have not found a way in the judicial atmosphere to discipline or penalise an agency of government through fines or costs.

    “In conclusion, the court has no jurisdiction to hear the first amended charge of February 21, 2018, of 31-counts. This suit is hereby struck out.”

  • Suspects held, cash seized during polls, says EFCC

    Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu yesterday said the commission arrested some suspects for vote buying during the just-concluded elections.

    He said the EFCC also seized cash running into several millions from those arrested.

    Besides, Magu said that the anti-graft agency engaged law enforcement agencies with anti-money laundering mandate in neighbouring countries to check incidence of illicit financial flows before, during and after the polls.

    The EFCC chair, who opened up at the National Policy Dialogue on Eradicating Electoral Corruption (Vote-Buying) at the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, said “electoral corruption is the worst form of corruption because it undermines the will of the people and invests power in illegitimate hands”.

    Speaking through Ola Olukoyede, the Commission’s Secretary, Magu warned that a government that pays its way into power can hardly be held accountable.

    He said: “Our officers made some arrests and seized money running into several millions of naira.

    “While prosecution of a number of offenders are currently ongoing, we have secured the conviction of a local government councilor in Gombe State for vote buying and also finalizing arrangement to file charges against more offenders and those arrested for vote buying and others with large sums of money which purpose they could not explain.

    “But beyond the arrests, the presence of EFCC operatives at polling stations and collation centres was a major deterrence to vote buyers. We believe that the fear of possible arrest by the commission dissuaded many who would have turned such voting centres into trading posts for votes.”

    Magu said the EFCC’s intervention was driven by passion to do something to engender public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

    Recalling the experience of financial infractions in previous elections, he recommended a blueprint from participants at the dialogue to check vote buying.

    He added: “This dialogue is critical to our collective aspiration to clean up the institutions and process of election management for the good governance of our nation.

    “No doubt, there is a lot that the law enforcement community in Nigeria can benefit from such a blueprint, which should also clearly spell out rules of engagement agencies in the electoral process.

    “Such blueprint when formulated, will hopefully address some of the criticisms against the participation of security and law enforcement organisations in the electoral process.”

    Magu explained why the EFCC took keen interest in 2019 poll and checkmated politicians from engaging in vote buying unlike the previous elections.

    He said: “It was in appreciation of the damage, which the incidence of vote buying does to the integrity of our electoral processes that we resolved to play a more active role in stemming the practice in the just concluded general election.”

     

    “The EFCC’s intervention was moderated by our understanding of the pattern of vote buying in the elections that were held in two states, Ekiti and Osun states, in 2018.

    “To stem the ugly practice, the Commission decided to employ a combination of preventive and enforcement strategies. Before the political actors became aware that the commission had become unusually interested in the electoral processes, the EFFC held sensitisation meetings with critical stakeholders in the financial sector, impressing on them the need not to lend their institutions to be used as vehicles to subvert the will of the people. Some of the stakeholders included bankers and Bureau De Change operators.”

    “Our engagement with them was informed by our knowledge of the roles which some of them played during the 2015 general election, helping politicians to move huge sums of money which were intended to be used to compromise election officials and other actors in the electoral process.”

    He further explained that the Commission had to engage with law enforcement agencies with anti-money laundering mandate in neighbouring countries to check incidence of illicit financial flows before, during and after the general elections.

    Magu said: “Additionally, we stepped up surveillance of financial system, to track suspicious cash movement which led to some arrests. These measures, we believe, helped to reduce the amount of cash available to politicians for vote buying.

    “But the intervention that was most visible to politician actors and the electorates was the unprecedented step to physically police all the polling stations and collation centres to deter prospective vote buyers and sellers.

    “From Birnin-Kebbi to Ilorin, from Sokoto to Awka, from Kano to Abeokuta, from Lafia to Port Harcourt, officers of the Commission were massively deployed across the country to polling units and collation centres to disrupt vote buying and arrest offenders. Some of the officers were kitted in customized EFCC jackets while many wore plain clothes.”

    He pleaded with Nigerians to shun inducement from politicians, saying: “A government that pays its way into power is hardly expected to be accountable; its priority upon assumption of office would be how to recoup its investment.

    “That is the open sesame to corruption in public life, a phenomenon that has held us down as a nation.”

  • Vote buying: EFCC arrests suspects, seizes huge cash

    The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu on Tuesday said the commission arrested some suspects for vote buying during the just-concluded 2019 poll.

    He said the EFCC also seized cash running into several millions of Naira to prevent vote buying.

    He said the anti-corruption agency also engaged law enforcement agencies with anti-money laundering mandate in neighboring countries to check incidence of illicit financial flows before, during and after the general elections.

    Magu, who opened up at the National Policy Dialogue on Eradicating Electoral Corruption (Vote-Buying) at the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria said electoral corruption is the worst form of corruption because it undermines the will of the people and invests power in illegitimate hands.

    Magu who spoke through the Secretary of the Commission, Ola Olukoyede said a government that pays its way into power is hardly expected to be accountable.

    He said: “Our officers made some arrests and seized money running into several millions of Naira.

    “While prosecution of a number of offenders are currently ongoing, we have secured the conviction of a local government councilor in Gombe State for vote buying and also finalizing arrangement to file charges against more offenders and those arrested for vote buying and others with large sums of money which purpose they could not explain.

    “But beyond the arrests, the presence of EFCC operatives at polling stations and collation centres was a major deterrence to vote buyers. We believe that the fear of possible arrest by the commission dissuaded many who would have turned such voting centers into trading posts for votes.”

    The EFCC acting chairman said the EFCC’s intervention was driven by passion to do something to engender public confidence in our electoral process.

    He recalled experience of financial infractions in previous elections and recommended a blueprint from participants at the dialogue to check vote buying.

    Read Also: EFCC arrests businessman for raking N7b from 20,700 investors

    He added: “This dialogue is critical to our collective aspiration to clean up the institutions and process of election management for the good governance of our nation”.

    “No doubt, there is a lot that the law enforcement community in Nigeria can benefit from such a blueprint, which should also clearly spell out rules of engagement agencies in the electoral process.

    “Such blueprint when formulated will, hopefully address some of the criticisms against the participation of security and law enforcement organizations in the electoral process.”

    Magu explained why EFCC took keen interest in 2019 poll and checkmated politicians from engaging in vote buying unlike the previous elections.

    He said: “It was in appreciation of the damage, which the incidence of vote buying does to the integrity of our electoral processes that we resolved to play a more active role in stemming the practice in the just concluded general election. The EFCC’s intervention was moderated by our understanding of the pattern of vote buying in the elections that were held in two states, Ekiti and Osun states, in 2018.

    “To stem the ugly practice, the Commission decided to employ a combination of preventive and enforcement strategies. Before the political actors became aware that the commission had become unusually interested in the electoral processes, the EFFC held sensitization meetings with critical stakeholders in the financial sector, impressing on them the need not to lend their institutions to be used as vehicles to subvert the will of the people. Some of the stakeholders included bankers and Bureau De Change Operators.

    “Our engagement with them was informed by our knowledge of the roles which some of them played during the 2015 general election, helping politicians to move huge sums of money which were intended to be used to compromise election officials and other actors in the electoral process”.

    He further explained that the Commission had to engage with law enforcement agencies with anti-money laundering mandate in neighbouring countries to check incidence of illicit financial flows before, during and after the general elections.

    He said: “Additionally, we stepped up surveillance of financial system, to track suspicious cash movement which led to some arrests. These measures, we believe, helped to reduce the amount of cash available to politicians for vote buying.

    “But the intervention that was most visible to politician actors and the electorates was the unprecedented step to physically police all the polling stations and collation centres to deter prospective vote buyers and sellers. From Birnin-Kebbi to Ilorin, from Sokoto to Awka, from Kano to Abeokuta, from Lafia to Port Harcourt, officers of the Commission were massively deployed across the country to polling units and collation centres to disrupt vote buying and arrest offenders. Some of the officers were kitted in customized EFCC jackets while many wore plain clothes.”

    The EFCC chairman pleaded with Nigerians to shun inducement from politicians.

    He said: “A government that pays its way into power is hardly expected to be accountable; its priority upon assumption of office would be how to recoup its investment.

    “That is the open sesame to corruption in public life, a phenomenon that has held us down as a nation.”

     

     

  • Beware of car thieves’ new tricks, EFCC warns Nigerians

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has alerted the public to the new tricks used by car thieves to dispossess unsuspecting Nigerians of their vehicles.

    The alert, the commission said, was borne out of investigations into alleged crime levelled against a suspected car thief, Babatunde Oluwatope Oni (aka Olu Daniel, Oni Daniel Oluwatope).

    Babatunde, who hails from Odo Eri in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, was arrested by the Ibadan zonal office of the commission for alleged conspiracy, stealing and issuance of a dud cheque.

    This followed a petition the EFCC said it received from a car dealer, Mr. Kamoru Yekini, on November 21, last year.

    The petitioner alleged that on October 16, last year, two men approached him at his shop in Iwo town of Osun State, indicating interest to buy a 2006 Toyota Matrix car he displayed for sale.

    After negotiation on the price, the two parties reportedly agreed on N1,580,000.00, and a post-dated First Bank cheque was said to have been issued to cover the cost.

    The cheque bore the name of Rabiu Bamidele Lateef as the account owner.

    It was learnt that Babatunde allegedly acted as a driver to the other (fleeing) suspect with whom he negotiated to buy the car.

    The other man was said to have falsely introduced himself as the account owner and a doctor at Bowen University, Iwo.

    After agreeing on the price, Bamidele reportedly left the scene to “deposit” the money and later returned with a copy of the deposit slip as evidence of payment.

    Though not comfortable with the payment arrangement, the car dealer was said to have reluctantly released the vehicle and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) duty papers, hoping that he would contact the “buyer” through his phone number, should any issue arise.

    It was learnt that the car dealer got a call from his bank the following day that the cheque had been returned unpaid due to insufficient funds.

    Yekini’s efforts to get the suspects proved abortive as the information they provided was said to be false.

    This propelled him to petition the EFCC for assistance.

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    The commission reportedly recovered the car in Abuja, the nation’s capital, where it had been sold to a lady for N1,800,000.00.

    Further investigations, the EFCC said, tracked the car back to Babatunde, who was arrested in his hideout in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    While Babatunde was in the EFCC’s custody, another complainant was said to have surfaced with a similar issue.

    According to the complainant, on September 7, last year, two men were at his filling station at Mokola, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to negotiate for a 2007 Toyota Avensis car he displayed.

    He alleged that after the negotiation, the “intending buyers” agreed to pay N2,000,000.00. Again, Bamidele reportedly issued a cheque to pay for the car.

    Just as he did in the other case, Babatunde also acted as the driver to the “big man” he accompanied.

    The suspect took the cheque to the seller’s bank to “deposit” the money and came back with a deposit slip.

    While they were testing the car, the car dealer told the suspects to hold on for him to confirm the status of the deposit from his account officer.

    But before he could do so, Bamidele and his partner zoomed off with the car, since its keys and papers had been handed over to them.

    The cheque with which he made the “payment” was returned unpaid and efforts to contact the men were abortive.

    EFCC said its investigation revealed that Babatunde’s modus operandi was to issue dud cheques to car dealers and abscond with the vehicles.

    Such cheques were said to have either been stolen from unsuspecting persons or were linked to phoney accounts.

    The EFCC said the cheque bearing the name of Rabiu Bamidele Lateef was stolen, adding that the owner, a pastor, had made statement to the commission to deny knowledge of issuance of his cheque for the transaction.

    Apart from stealing people’s cheques and issuing dud cheques to commit fraud, the commission said its investigations also revealed that Bamidele often used fictitious names in some of his transactions.

    When asked about the identities of his accomplices, Bamidele reportedly gave the name of Santar Ademola, said to have died.

    The suspect was said to have committed a similar offence in 2017, when he was prosecuted by a sister agency for car theft.

    But he was reportedly released from prison custody when the complainant stopped showing interest.

    “Members of the public are, by this report, advised to be wary when transacting business with people they do not know.

    “The commission is making frantic efforts to get other culprits arrested. They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” EFCC said.