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Tag: EFCC

  • Alleged $8.4m theft: EFCC arraigns two oil marketers, oil firm

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned two oil marketers, Yusuf Kwande and Osahon Asemota, in an Ikeja Special Offences Court for allegedly stealing 6.4 million metric tonnes of Automated Gas Oil (AGO) worth $8.4million.

    They were arraigned alongside an international oil and gas company – Trafigura Beheer BV, Trafigura PTE Ltd and their Nigerian associates- Mettle Energy and Gas, Renbrandt Ltd. and Jil Engineering and Oil Services Limited.

    They, however, pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and receiving stolen property preferred against them by the EFCC.

    The EFCC accused the defendants of fraudulently converting the AGO at the office of Trafigura Beheer BV located at 20A, Sinaro Daranijo Street, off Ligali Ayorinde Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    According to Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), the lead EFCC prosecution counsel, the defendants committed the offences of stealing from October 22, 2008 to December 15, 2008.

    Read also: EFCC arraigns two oil marketers, international company

    He said the stolen AGO worth $8.4million, was the property of Nadabo Energy Limited and was kept in the legal custody of the now defunct Spring Bank on Victoria Island.

    Jacobs noted that the offences contravened sections 383(1), 427 and 516 of the Criminal Code Law of 2004.

    Following the defendant’s not guilty plea, counsel to the defendants sought to move their bail applications, but Jacobs told the court that three of the prosecution witnesses present in court requested that the trial begin immediately.

    Mr. Emefun Etudo, the first prosecution witness and a former lawyer to Asemota and his companies narrated to the court how the defendants connived to defraud Nadabo.

    He said: “Nadabo Energy is a contractor to Mobil and it was given a purchase order to supply 10,000 metrics tonnes of AGO to Mobil in 2008. Nadabo was given about $15million by Spring Bank via a letter of offer dated February 29, 2008, to effect this transaction.”

    Justice Dada adjourned the case till December 10, 11 and 13 for continuation of trial.

  • EFCC traces N500m assets to Jang

    THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said yesterday it has traced properties worth N500 million to a former Plateau State governor, Senator Jonah Jang.

    There were indications last night that the anti-graft commission may seize the assets by invoking the provision on Interim Forfeiture.

    A statement by the commission’s Acting Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Tony Orilade, said the properties are located at No. 8 and 9 Gobarau Road Unguwan Rimi GRA, Kaduna State.

    The statement said: “Preliminary investigations revealed that the said properties were purchased from New Capital Properties Limited, a subsidiary of Northern Nigerian Development Company (NNDC) Kaduna.”

    A top source in the commission, who spoke in confidence, said: “Based on our findings, the assets linked with the ex-governor might be placed under Interim Forfeiture to prevent anyone tampering with them.

    “We will soon approach a court to seize the assets till a full investigation is completed.”

    Sections 28 and 34 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004 and Section 13(1) of the Federal High Court Act, 2004 empower the anti-graft agency to invoke Interim Assets Forfeiture Clause.

    “Section 28 of the EFCC Act reads: ‘Where a person is arrested for an offence under this Act, the commission shall immediately trace and attach all the assets and properties of the person acquired as a result of such economic or financial crime and shall thereafter cause to be obtained an interim attachment order from the court.’

    Section 13 of the Federal High Court Act reads in part: “The court may grant an injunction or appoint a receiver by an interlocutory order in all cases in which it appears to the court to be just or convenient so to do.

    (2) “Any such order may be made either unconditionally or on such terms and conditions as the court thinks just.”

    The EFCC on May 7, 2018 filed 12-count charges against the former governor for an alleged fraud of about N6.3  billion.

    A serving senator representing Plateau-North, Jang, who is being prosecuted before a Plateau State High Court, allegedly embezzled some special funds released to the state by the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN).

    The former governor was also said to have abused his office by collecting  N4.3 billion from the state coffers through the cashier of the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Yusuf Pam.

    One of the counts revealed that the former governor allegedly diverted about N2 billion released by the CBN for disbursement to Small and Medium Enterprises in the state under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Funds, just a month before the expiration of his tenure in April 2015.

  • Kerosene deal: EFCC seeks final forfeiture of N1.9bn by ex-First Lady’s friend

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has initiated a legal process for the final forfeiture of alleged slush cash of N1.9 billion by a business woman, Hajiya Bola Shagaya.

    The cash is in respect of a perceived deal allegedly linked with ex-First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.

    Shagaya, a close friend of the ex-First Lady, is being accused of illegally profiting from a dual purpose kerosene (DPK) deal in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    Out of the N3,305,150,000 she is accused of receiving a ‘founder’s fee’ from the deal. About N1, 212,000,999 was allegedly paid into the account of Women for Change Initiative, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded by Mrs. Jonathan.

    The ex-First Lady is said to be the sole signatory to the account of Women for Change Initiative where the DPK cash was deposited between February 28, 2012 and February 20, 2015.

    The EFCC was also said to have uncovered how Shagaya allegedly retained the balance of N2,093,150,000.

    About N1,902,673,399.33 out of her share of N2,093,150,000 was allegedly found by detectives to have been kept in Shagaya’s account domiciled in Unity Bank Plc.

    But the Executive Director (Commercial) of the Nigerian Petroleum Marketing Company (a subsidiary of NNPC), Mr. Billy Okoye, said he has never heard of ‘founder’s fee’ which fetched Shagaya the N3.3 billion.

    Investigation revealed that EFCC’s moves to seize the N1.9 billion began on December 29, 2016 when Justice M. S. Hassan of the Federal High Court Lagos granted an interim forfeiture order.

    But instead of proceeding to an appellate court, Shagaya on October 23, 2017 filed an application before Justice O.O. Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court Lagos, seeking invalidation of the interim forfeiture order made by Justice M. S. Hassan.

    In a judgment on May 17, 2018, Justice Oguntoyinbo said Shagaya “did not inform the court about the sources of the funds in her accounts.”

    The judge also dismissed Shagaya’s application as a “flagrant abuse of court process.”

    Following the judgment, the EFCC on November 23, 2018 initiated fresh moves for the final forfeiture of the N1.9 billion.

    A document obtained by THE NATION gave an insight into the DPK deal and the alleged payment of N3.3 billion.

    The document said: “The commission investigated the unlawful activities of Bola Shagaya and former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan in relation to Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in which investigation revealed unlawful proceeds of N3,305,150,000 received by Bola Shagaya, in which she made payments totalling N1,212,000,999 to a proxy of Dame Patience Jonathan and retained the sum of N2,093,150,000.

    “Investigation further revealed that a part of the funds amounting to N1,902,673,399.93 was warehoused in her account domiciled in Unity Bank Plc.

    “The team via Suit No: FHC/L/OS/1973/16 obtained an order attaching the sum of N1,902,673, 399.93 warehoused in the account of the bank.

    “That Hajiya Bola Shagaya subsequently via Suit: FHC/L/CS/1004/2017 approached the court, seeking an order of court to set aside the interim attachment order in Suit No: FHC/ L/OS/1973/16, which the judge dismissed on the ground of lack of merit.

    “From the foregoing, the team seeks approval to forfeit the said funds in the account to the Federal Government under forfeiture without conviction.”

    In a deposition before the Federal High Court in Lagos, an official of the EFCC, Musbahu Yahaya Abubakar, revealed how the anti-graft agency uncovered the DPK deal.

    The deponent said: “That the EFCC received a cogent, direct and positive intelligence of case of conspiracy, unlawful enrichment and money laundering against Bola Shagaya.

    “That the said intelligence was analysed and found worthy of investigation. That I know as a fact that Shagaya (herein referred to as the applicant) was making suspicious deposits into the accounts subject of investigation.

    “That the applicant’s funds of unlawful activities were paid into a front organization account called “Women for Change Initiative” for the benefit of the former First Lady, Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan.

    “That the applicant through her fraudulent activities in NNPC influenced the fraudulent allocation of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) to Index Petrolube Africa Limited with the aid of former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.

    “That as a result of these fraudulent activities, the applicant was paid ‘founder fees’ in the sum of N3,305,150,000 by Index Petrolube Africa Limited and its sister company, Autodex Nigeria Limited, both owned by Hon. Ezeani Thankgod for the fraudulent facilitation of DPK to his company, Index Petrolube Africa Limited.

    “That Shagaya paid a cumulative sum of N1,212,000,000 to the ex-First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, through her account, ‘Women for Change Initiative, domiciled in Diamond Bank in which the Former First Lady is the sole signatory.

    “That the sum of N1,902,673,399.33 remaining balance from the aforementioned proceeds of unlawful activities was warehoused in the personal accounts of Shagaya in Unity Bank.”

    The EFCC said it invited Billy Okoye, the Executive Director (Commercial) of the Nigerian Petroleum Marketing Company (a subsidiary of NNPC) to “ascertain the genuineness or otherwise of the founder’s fee.”

    “That I know as a fact and I verily believe that Billy Okoye volunteered his statement to the EFCC and stated that he does not know anything about ‘founder’s fee’ and he has never heard of it until confronted by EFCC,” he added.

  • N11.4b fraud: EFCC hands over 116 cars to First Bank

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday  handed over 116  cars and 20  landed properties in Edo, Rivers and Lagos states recovered from Michael Obasuyi Osasogie to First Bank Plc.

    Osasogie confessed to an N11.4billion fraud and sought a plea bargain.

    A statement by the Acting Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Tony Orilade, said Osagie created fraudulent and imaginary monies through the aid of Fundgate Financial Application.

    The statement said: “Trouble began for Osasogie after a petition he wrote to the Commission against E-tranzact in March 2018.

    “The Commission, however, investigated Osasogie’s business interests, following the receipt of a counter-petition written by E-tranzact against Osasogie and one of his companies, SmartMicro.

    “SmartMicro was said to have approached E-tranzact in 2012 for the deployment of bulk purchase solution called “Corporatepay” to facilitate payment of salaries of Delta State employees in microfinance banks.

    “It was also alleged that e-tranzact configured an additional outbound fund transfer solution called ‘Fundgate’ in 2017, which required SmartMicro to maintain a pre-funded settlement account with First Bank Plc for settlement of account it had initiated.

    “However, e-tranzact had further alleged that the bank, sometime in March 2018, revealed that the settlement account was in debit of N11, 498,944,038.29.”

    Obasuyi, in his statement to the EFCC, confessed to have committed the crime, stating that he created fraudulent and imaginary monies through the aid of Fundgate Financial Application from the company.

    Osasogie, said to be Philosophy graduate from the University of Lagos (UNILAG) was arraigned alongside his firms—Platinum Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society, SmartMicro Systems Limited and Platinum Smart Cruise Motors Limited — on May 24, 2018 before Justice Mojisola Dada of the  Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja on a 14-count charge bordering on stealing N11, 498, 944, 038.29.

    One of the counts reads: “That you, Michael Obasuyi Osasogie, Platinum Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society, SmartMicro Systems Limited and Platinum Smart Cruise Motors Limited, sometime in the year 2016 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired to commit felony, to wit: stealing of the sum of N11, 498, 944, 038.29  property of First Bank Nigeria Ltd.”

    He pleaded guilty to the charge.

    During his trial, an investigator with the EFCC, Orji Chukwuma, told the court how the proceeds of crime were kept in some new generation banks.

    Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, Chukwuma had told the court that “SmartMicro Systems Limited assumed a position of a fictitious microfinance bank in Nigeria through a software, Micro switch Server 1.1 created by the defendant as well as two genuine microfinance banks, which he used to carry out his fraud.

    “The defendant later opened an account with First Bank Plc and subsequently raised an overdraft from his fictitious microfinance bank for his account in the bank, which it ignorantly paid.”

    The witness had told the court that when e-tranzact disconnected from the chain, all the transactions carried out by the defendant collapsed on his own account with First Bank, thereby leading to the discovery of the fraud.

    The sums of N2, 903,727,563.92, $37, 992.87 and €18,538.09 were recovered by the Commission from Osasogie’s  accounts in various banks.

    The Commission also recovered 116 cars and 20 properties in Lagos, Abuja, Benin and Port Harcourt.

    The prosecution counsel had, therefore, urged the court to convict the defendant on counts one to 14, according to the law.

    The defendant later entered into a plea bargain. The prosecution counsel urged the court to consider the plea bargain entered into by the defendant on May 21, 2018 as judgment in his sentencing.

    Counsel to the first and second defendant, Osasu Ogebor, had told the court that his clients went into a plea bargain to give out what does not belong to him.

    “It is not enough for the accused person to say I am sorry for what he has done. But from his inner heart, he is absolutely sorry, My Lord,” Ogebor had pleaded.

    Lawyers to the third and fourth defendants also aligned themselves with Ogebor’s prayers.

    Justice Dada convicted the defendant on all the counts and sentenced him to one year imprisonment.

    The Judge also ordered the forfeiture of the defendant’s 116 buses, 20 properties and monies in various accounts to First Bank Plc.

    At the handover ceremony, which held in one of the forfeited houses at Osapa London, Lekk, Lagos, Kaina Garba, Head, Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Management Unit of the EFCC, Lagos office,  handed over the documents and keys to the properties to Gabriel Edobor, Head, Remedial and Classified Assets Management Department, First Bank Plc and Eme Godwin, Group Head, Legal Unit, E-transact.

    Edobor and Godwin thanked the EFCC for ensuring the recovery of the properties through diligent and uncompromising investigative efforts.

  • 2019 poll: EFCC to monitor donations to parties

    Donors to political parties were put on notice yesterday that the law will keep an eye on them.

    Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu said the agency would monitor donations to political parties during next year’s polls and the identities of the donors.

    He warned political office holders against diverting public funds to their campaigns and for elections.

    Magu said the $2.2 billion arms scandal under the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan caused a setback for the fight against insurgency.

    The EFCC chief was delivering a paper at a one-day retreat for the 36 governors and key election stakeholders in Abuja.

    The retreat, with the theme: “Institutionalizing Transparency, Accountability, and anti-corruption issues in the electoral process in Nigeria”, was organised by Centre for Values In Leadership (CVL).

    Magu, who spoke through Olanipekun Olukoyede, his Chief of Staff, said parties should know that they will account for campaign funds after the poll.

    He said: “We shall keenly monitor the financial affairs of political parties to ensure that the use of public funds to finance political parties and prosecute campaigns at all levels of government is checked. To minimize corruption and the use of public funds to fund political parties and finance elections, there is need for greater effectiveness in enforcing the provisions of the various electoral laws in Nigeria especially as it relates to penalties upon breach of their provisions.

    Admitting that the enormous task before the EFCC and cannot do it alone.

    On the $2.2 billion arms scandal,  Magu said the cash was allegedly diverted to election funding.

    He said: “When you consider the fact that the money was disbursed for the purpose of procurement of arms to fight insurgency in the North, then the negative impact of funding elections with stolen government funds becomes real at once”.

    ”The 13-man Committee, which I was a member of, analysed how funds were transferred to the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Nigerian Armed Forces in local and foreign currencies and subsequently disbursed.

    “The committee observed that about $2.2 billion was disbursed for the procurement of ammunition to tackle insurgency, yet little or nothing was actually spent for the procurement of the arms for which the funds were disbursed.

    “ The committee discovered that failed contracts amounting to about $2,378,939,066.27 and¦ 13,729,342,329.87 respectively were awarded by the NSA; who also approved payments in millions of dollars without documentation.”

    “Any time money is diverted by an administration to fund a political campaign, it is money already budgeted for an essential need which will never be met because of heartless and corrupt public officials.

    “The money being misappropriated is either from health, security, education, road construction, personnel costs etc. The case of arms procurement by the NSA under President Goodluck Jonathan government is apposite.”

  • EFCC accuses businessman

    A businessman, Rashid Huthman, yesterday appeared before the Ikeja Special Offences Court for allegedly giving false information to an official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The EFCC charged Huthman with his company, Complete Leisure Estate Ltd, before Justice Mojisola Dada.

    EFCC counsel Mr. Nkereuwem Anana alleged that the accused committed the offence between June 22, 2016 and February 15, 2017 in Lagos.

    “The defendant knowingly provided false information to Mr. Dan Azibagiri, an EFCC officer, in the course of duty.”

  • Drama as Senate confirms Olukoyede as EFCC scribe

    The Senate on Wednesday finally confirmed the appointment of Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, as the Secretary of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The confirmation was however not without drama.

    Sharp disagreement between the Chairman, Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Chukwuka Utazi and some members of the Committee, trailed the confirmation.

    Two members of the committee, Senators Isa Hamman Misau and Dino Melaye, claimed that the screening of Olukoyede was done without their input.

    The duo insisted that they should be told if there were hidden interests in the screening of the nominee.

    The situation almost degenerated into verbal altercation between Utazi and Misau but for Senate President Bukola Saraki’s intervention.

    Olukoyede, from Ekiti State, is the Chief of Staff to the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu.

    He was nominated as Secretary to the Commission by President Buhari through a letter dated September 10, 2018 and addressed to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

    The Senate on October 3, 2018, referred President Buhari’s request for the confirmation of the nominee to the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, for screening.

    Utazi (Enugu North), on Tuesday, presented the report of the Committee on the screening of the nominee to the Senate for adoption.

    He told the Senate that Olukoyede satisfied the Committee and demonstrated competence and sufficient experience to occupy the office for which he was nominated.

    Senator Misau (Bauchi Central) opposed the confirmation of Olukoyede, claiming that most members of the Committee were not carried along in the screening exercise.

    Utazi explained that he invited all members of the Committee to the screening of the nominee but only three of them attended.

    He also noted that the three senators out of the eight members formed quorum because the Senate rule stipulates that one-third of members shall form quorum.

     Saraki asked the Committee members to meet and discuss the report to avoid creating divergent positions on the confirmation exercise.

    When the report was presented again yesterday for consideration and adoption, Senator Misau raised further objections.

    The Bauchi Central Senator claimed that he was not contacted for the meeting as directed by the Senate on Tuesday.

    Another member of the Committee, Senator Dino Melaye, supported Misau.

    Read also: EFCC arraigns businessman for providing false information

    Melaye said that Utazi did not comply with the resolution of the Senate to hold a meeting of members of the committee to discuss the report.

    Utazi, who expressed anger over the accusation by members of the committee, told the Senate that he sent letters of invitation to all members.

    He said some members of the committee did not attend the meeting because they went for oversight functions of other committees.

    He said that some Committee members were holding the Senate to ransom due their selfish interest.

    Utazi urged the Senate not to set a bad precedence by allowing few individuals to slow down the work of the chamber out of their selfishness.

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, explained that once a committee had turned in its report, the report become the property of the Senate.

    Ekweremadu said that after debate of such report, the presiding officer put the question to allow senators vote the way they wanted.

    Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan also said that the committee met the rules of the Senate.

    A voice vote agreed that the report should be considered.

    Another voice vote overwhelmingly supported the confirmation of Olukoyede  as the EFCC secretary.

  • EFCC raids Astrax Autos, seizes 29 cars

    •Senate commends EFCC, may amend EFCC Act to retain recoveries

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,(EFCC)  Lagos office, yesterday seized 29 exotic cars during a raid on the office of a Lagos-based car dealer, Astrax Auto Shop.

    The raid followed intelligence report received by the commission on the activities of the operators of the auto shop, who are said to be a syndicate of organized Internet fraudsters.

    A statement by the Acting Head, Media and Publicity, Mr. Tony Orilade said a member of the suspected syndicate, Olusegun Micheal Adeyemi has been arrested.

    The statement said: “Investigation revealed that the syndicate, which specializes in Business Emails Compromise, BEC, in the United States of America, USA, usually moves proceeds of its alleged illicit business to a nominated bank account owned by their mules in the U.S.

    “The syndicate members allegedly launder the proceeds through money order, which they use to purchase cars in American auctions and ship same to Nigeria for sale.

    “The EFCC had earlier arrested one of the syndicate members, Olusegun Micheal Adeyemi.

    “In his statement to the EFCC, Adeyemi confirmed one Tayo Onilogbo Yusuf as the Managing Director of Astrax Autos and Automobile.

    “The cars recovered from the syndicate include: four Toyota Corolla; seven Toyota Camry; two Toyota Highlander; two Toyota Venza; two  Range Rover; one  Ford SUV; three Mercedes Benz;  one  Toyota 4runner; one Toyota Sienna;  four  Honda Accord;  one Toyota Sequoia and one Kia car.”

    Meanwhile, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption, Sen. Chukwuka Utazi has commended the efforts of the EFCC in the fight against corruption.

    Utazi asked the anti-graft agency to redouble its effort to save Nigeria from corruption cankerworm.

    Utazi made the commendation  during the committee’s oversight function to the commission.

    He said “we will amend the EFCC Act to ensure that certain percentage of your recoveries will be retained to improve on the quality of the Commission’s assignments.

    “It is not a good thing for the EFCC to be going cap in hand begging for money to do their job. This practice is disadvantaged to your operations.

    “When we succeed in amending the Act, we will take a step further to amend the Constitution to ensure that the Commission is on First Line Charge”.

    He said it was regretful that seven months after moving into the new Jabi Headquarters building, the offices were  still not furnished.

    He added: “To hear from you that only 10 percent of the budgetary allocation for the furnishing of the new office has been released is to say the least, unacceptable.

    “It is only when people operate in the right environment that they can do their job perfectly. We are not only going to make your men comfortable in the Abuja office, we shall do our best to extend this gesture to all the offices across the country”.

    Regarding the delay in the disposal of assets finally forfeited to the federal government, Utazi said: “You should  intensify efforts in the disposal of the assets and where there is any hitch, the Committee should be contacted immediately.

    “The revenue that would be derivable from the disposals of such assets would go along way in inflating the economy”.

    Earlier in his opening remarks, the EFCC Acting Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu gave the details of final monetary  forfeiture in the last 11 months.

    They include: N12, 747, 521, 465. 01 (Twelve Billion, Seven Hundred and Forty Seven Million, Five Hundred and Twenty One Thousand , Four Hundred and Sixty Five Naira and One Kobo) ; $175, 077.81 (One Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand Dollars and Eighty One Cent) and 597, 353.65 Pounds (Five Hundred and Ninety Seven  Thousand, Three Hundred and Fifty Three  Pounds and Sixty Five Pence).

    He said the commission recorded unprecedented over 240 convictions between January till date, gave record of summary of final forfeited assets.

    The assets are  116 automobiles, 5 Bank Accounts, 15 land, 21 Real Estate and Equipment/Machinery.

    ” Assets forfeited under interim are: 25 automobiles, 39 bank Accounts, four filling Stations, 47 Real Estates, two vessels, uncalibrated quantities of petroleum product, One Tugboat,   One Hotel, One barge and Four Shops.

    Magu, however, lamented that out of the N12. 717billion appropriated for the commission’s personnel cost for the fiscal year, only N6.739 billion( representing 53.06 per cent )has been released.

    Similarly, he said the sum of N3.6 billion was appropriated for Overhead.

    He said out if the overhead, only N1. 650 billion representing 45.83 percent has been released.

    On capital budget, he said out of the N10.074 billion appropriated for capital expenditure in 2018 financial year, only N1. 007 billion, representing 10 percent of total appropriation has been released.

     

  • N23b bribe: EFCC clears 15 INEC officials

    FIFTEEN of the  205 Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials suspended in connection with the alleged N23billion poll bribe have been cleared.

    About N3,046,829, 000 was traced to some of INEC officials involved in the 2015 general elections.

    INEC suspended 205 pending the final determination of their cases with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    But following insufficient information, 70 other officials were  referred back to EFCC for investigation.

    The 15 who did not benefit from the bribe were given a clean bill of health.

    EFCC has written the Chairman of the electoral commission, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu on the clean bill of health given to the 15.

    “We can only use them as prosecution witnesses because there is no case against them. They tried to avoid the dirty deals, an INEC source said.

    EFCC did not release their names because, according to the source, it is the responsibility of INEC to do so. “What we have succeeded in doing is to prove that our probe of the bribery scam was not a witch-hunt  at all,” he added.

    Over 100 INEC officials are facing prosecution for benefiting from the bribe.”

    INEC had raised an expanded Appointment, Promotion and Disciplinary Committee on the EFCC Interim Report on Bribery Corruption and Money Laundering Charges during the 2015 General Elections.

    A National Commissioner, Mallam Mohammed Haruna, who released a statement  on behalf of INEC on the scandal, said:  “Among other things, the Committee found that:

    “There was a clear attempt to bribe INEC staff to influence the outcome of the 2015 general elections, using an NGO, the West African Network of Election Observers (WANEO), made up mainly of retired senior INEC officials.

    “Out of over N23 billion, which the EFCC report said was used to influence the elections, the Committee established that N3,046,829,000 was received by INEC staff in 16 states.

    “In reaching its decision on the findings of the Committee, the Commission adhered strictly to the INEC Staff Conditions of Service. The Commission therefore decided as follows:

    • The cases of one former National Commissioner, five former Resident Electoral Commissioners (one of them deceased) have been referred to the Presidency and EFCC for further necessary action.
    • Based on their level of involvement, 205 serving INEC staff will be immediately placed on Interdiction, which entails suspension from duties and being placed on half salary, pending the final determination of the cases they have with the EFCC.
    • Seventy staff about whom there was insufficient information regarding their involvement will be referred back to EFCC for further investigation and possible prosecution.

    “The Commission hereby reiterates its commitment to defending the integrity of the electoral process. Therefore, it will continue to take stern action against its officials who compromise its core values of integrity, transparency and impartiality in the conduct of elections.”

  • EFCC seals properties linked to Fayose

    •Houses, radio station, event centre traced to ex-governor

    BARELY weeks after the Ekiti State Ministry of Urban & Physical Planning sealed two houses allegedly traced to immediate past Governor Ayodele Fayose within the Government Reservation Area (GRA) in Ado-Ekiti, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were in the state capital yesterday to seal some buildings allegedly linked to the former governor.

    Some of the sealed properties include a hotel and event centre at Fajuyi; two houses at the GRA; the People’s 104.1 FM radio station and a two-storey building in Okesa.

    Also seized are a high rise building located opposite Local Government Service Commission (LGSC) on Iyin Road and a petrol station under

    construction at Odo Otu, Atikankan area.

    The EFCC officials, wearing their red jackets, were seen at about 10.35 am placing a sealing order on the properties.

    The official seal pasted on the properties reads: “Order from EFCC: This structure is under investigation. Keep Off”.

    The two houses sealed about a month ago by Urban & Physical Planning officials were said to have been built without approved plans.

    Yesterday’s operation by the EFCC operatives came barely days after members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Society staged a public protest against the former governor, accusing him of illegally acquiring a parcel of land belonging to the group to build a filling station for his son.

    Fayose is standing trial before a Federal High Court in Lagos. He is facing a money laundering charge for allegedly receiving about N2 billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

    The cash was allegedly received from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) to finance Fayose’s 2014 governorship campaign.

    But Fayose has accused the EFCC of sealing houses belonging to innocent people under the guise that the houses were linked to him.

    In a statement by his media aide Lere Olayinka, the former governor denied ownership of the properties, accusing the agency of “blackmail and media trial.”

    The statement reads: “Just been informed that operatives of the EFCC in collaboration with the APC government in Ekiti are going about sealing houses of innocent people in the state, under the guise that the houses are linked to me.

    “This is another wild goose chase and the usual media campaign against my person.

    “It is only in our country that an anti-corruption agency will first go about sealing houses before determining the ownership, which can be done so easily by visiting relevant agencies.

    “I am therefore informing the public ahead of their usual blackmail and media trial. None of the properties in question is owned by me and the records are there for anyone that is interested to see.

    “The EFCC is advised to stop going about looking for ways to malign my person just because of their hatred as a result of my uncompromising stand on national issues.

    “Even if the commission is being pressured from ‘above’ to persecute Fayose at all cost, it should, at least, do its job diligently to save itself from persistent embarrassment.”