Tag: Ibrahim Magu

FIRMS linked to Irish firm Process and Industries Developments (P&ID) withdrew $700,00 cash at once in breach of Nigeria’s financial law, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered.

Nigerian prosecutors are probing payments through Allied Irish Banks Plc to unravel who received what and how as they close in on individuals and companies behind the P&ID $9.6 billion failed contract.

The EFCC has expanded its probe into the deal by making formal requests for assistance from Irish law enforcement and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency.

The prosecutors said they had evidence of two bank transfers totaling $20,000 made by Dublin-based Industrial Consultants (International) Ltd.- part of the P&ID group of companies  to Grace Taiga, a a former Ministry of Petroleum top official, who presided over the award of the gas plant contract.

The payments, in 2017 and 2018, were made from an Industrial Consultants account at Allied Irish Banks and were purportedly for “medical costs,” Bala Sanga, the lead prosecutor, said.

Investigators haven’t yet been able to trace the recipients of the $700,000 withdrawal, Sanga said.

The massive withdrawals were done by companies linked with the founder of P&ID, Michael Quinn and co-founder, Brendan Cahill.

The recipients of the cash, suspected to be bribe, could not be located by EFCC detectives.

A Bloomberg report quoted EFCC’s lawyer as saying: “The Nigerian anti-corruption agency’s investigators have uncovered large cash withdrawals from several companies linked to Quinn and Cahill since 2009, in breach of Nigerian money laundering regulations, according to Sanga. The largest withdrawal was for about $700,000 in cash. Investigators haven’t yet been able to trace the recipients of the money.”

Read Also: $9.6bn judgment: Court liquidates P&ID, affiliate

Sanga also said “an Irish citizen who worked for Michael Quinn has been arrested and charged in Nigeria and he remains in custody.

He added: “P&ID co-founder Brendan Cahill and Quinn’s son Adam will in due course be charged.”

He said he would seek the extradition of both men from Ireland to Nigeria. Cahill and Quinn didn’t respond to an email seeking comment.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, told  Bloomberg  that ”the enforcement of the $9 billion cannot stand having been based on a foundation that is rooted in fraud, corruption, tax evasion and procedural circumvention.”

As the government delegation was getting set for today’s legal matter in London, there was anxiety in EFCC yesterday over a plot to remove Magu by some forces sympathetic to the P&ID firm.

It was learnt that some of the plotters wanted what a source described as “outright negotiation with P&ID” but the EFCC’s probe bungled such plans for amicable resolution of the matter.

Ahead of the legal battle, the Federal Government delegation met for hours with the foreign lawyers engaged to set aside the $9.6billion judgment.

But despite in-depth forensic investigation into the controversial contract by the EFCC, some forces are pushing for the removal of the chairman of the anti-corruption agency.

The forces have launched a fresh bid to prevail on the government to send Magu to the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies(NIPPS), Kuru.

It was gathered that they rated the EFCC’s investigation as “beyond the brief” given to Magu.

A source said: “In spite of the outcome of the forensic investigation, some powerful forces are unhappy with Magu for allowing the EFCC to go too far into the P&ID matter. Some of them had been in the vanguard of out of court settlement.

“The sympathizers of P&ID are really fighting back, they alleged Magu went “beyond the brief given to him” by exposing  the untouchables behind the $9.6billion judgment.

“There are many more big men on the radar of EFCC on this judgment cash. Most beneficiaries including past  top government officials, corporate players and lawyers are just uncomfortable with Magu. They want to hide under NIPPS course to get rid of Magu and stall the ongoing investigation.

“I think from the look of things, they may have their way unless President Muhammadu Buhari intervenes.”

ACTING Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, on Tuesday said that the collaboration between the Commission and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has led to the recovery of $314,000 and about N373 million from the perpetrators of computer-related fraud.

Besides the recovered $314,000, Magu said the Lagos Zonal office of the commission has traced N373 million to some commercial banks.

The acting EFCC chair also informed that the recent joint operations coordinated by the Commission yielded 28 arrests with 14 suspects charged and convicted.

Magu said: “Nine of the suspects are currently undergoing trial, while five are still under investigations. Over 80 cases are still under investigation from the EFCC-FBI joint operations.”

He spoke through the Lagos Zonal Head of the commission, Mohammed Rabo at a news conference in Lagos.

He said the Lagos office of the anti-graft agency, prior to the collaborative efforts with the FBI, had independently launched a sustained operation on perpetrators of various computer-related frauds.

Magu said: “From 2018 to date, the EFCC had launched a sustained operation on perpetrators of various computer-related frauds, which resulted in over 200 arrests, 130 convictions and recovery of a large number of exotic cars and properties suspected to have been acquired through the proceeds of crime.

“We had independently launched intensive investigative actions against the infamous Yahoo boys culminating in various strategic raids and onslaught on their hideouts.

Read Also: EFCC arrests Kwara director for ‘fraudulent’ sale of land

“Our efforts in this regard have recorded tremendous successes leading to a number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions.”

Magu called on the media to continue to support the fight against corruption and economic and financial crimes, adding: “No one has the monopoly of knowledge of how the fight should be fought and won.

“All the critical stakeholders, particularly the media, must continue to collaborate and cooperate with us to make the fight a success.

“I urge you to continue to help us sensitize, mobilise and educate all the critical stakeholders to continue to support the fight against economic and financial crimes. We must collectively strive to achieve the Nigeria of our dream.

“It is very critical for you to understand that you owe the youth that social responsibility of awakening their consciousness to the importance of a noble life devoid of crimes.”

He also reiterated that the agency would leave no stone unturned “towards stamping out corruption and economic and financial crimes from our society.”

Former Attorney-General of the Federation Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) on Sunday said he did not abscond from trial as claimed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He said he was not on the run, and that the charge against him was filed after he had travelled overseas for further studies.

Adoke said he would soon return to defend himself.

Besides, he said “damning revelations” from the ongoing trial of Shell and ENI in Italy shows that the commission has no case against him.

In a statement, he said the commission should the honourably withdraw the charge.

Adoke said: “How can EFCC say I absconded to Europe? I was already out of the country studying at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands when the persecution started, so how can they say I ran away? Was there any pending case against me?

“I left Nigeria in June 2015 for further studies. Mr. Ibrahim Magu, who is being manipulated to fight me, assumed office in November 2015. How then could I have run away from him and his collaborators five months ahead? Did I foreknow that my traducers would put their stooge as EFCC Chairman?

“The most ridiculous aspect of this joke is that the EFCC case of money laundering filed against me over a mortgage account I never operated was not about Malabu.

“Nigerians have been given the impression by the EFCC spin masters that I was charged to court for money laundering over OPL 245 and Malabu. In the real sense, nowhere did EFCC mention Malabu or OPL 245 in the court papers. It was ‘wuruwuru’ to the answer.

“Their case has crumbled and they know it but they have become so reckless that they are not ready to stop wasting tax payers’ money on frivolous court cases. I will come home to defend myself after attending to my health. There are no questions about that.”

Read Also: EFCC arrests 15 ‘yahoo boys’ in Ibadan

Adoke faulted EFCC’s claim that it had established a prima facie case bothering on corruption against him on the OPL 245 transaction.

According to him, there is clearly no shred of evidence to convict him of wrongdoing.

Adoke said: “The ongoing trial of Shell and ENI officials in Italy has exposed the lies that EFCC has been cooking up against me.

“Mr. Ednan Tofik ogly Agaev, a former Russian ambassador, said in court that he mentioned my name as one of those who benefited from the OPL 245 deal because of pressure from the FBI.

“He said the FBI interview cannot be used against him in court. That is an eye-opener for those who are interested in justice.

“A few days later, Mr. Vincenzo Armanna, former ENI manager, told the same court that I confronted ENI officials that if any one gave bribe, they would be arrested and prosecuted.

“These statements were made in the open court and reported by the media globally. Yet the same EFCC, in a strange press release on Thursday, said the statements in the Italian court are of no relevance to the criminal charge against me in Nigeria.

“Ironically, the EFCC had used the same case in Italy as evidence that my trial in Nigeria should continue contrary to the advice of the Office of the AGF.

“Suddenly, the trial in Italy is of no relevance again because it does not fit into their predetermined agenda against me.”

EFCC, through its spokesman Tony Oriade, reportedly said Adoke abused his office in granting OPL 245 to Shell and ENI in 2011.

But, the former minister has described the claim as “ridiculous, ill-informed and full of ignorance” which Nigerians should treat with disdain.

“OPL 245 was not even awarded to Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd by President Goodluck Jonathan, under whose administration I served as Attorney-General. It was awarded by Gen. Sani Abacha in 1998.

“It was revoked by former President Olusegun Obasanjo who later decided to return the oil block to Malabu after an out-of-court settlement.

“The only thing I did as AGF was to advise President Jonathan that legally speaking, the Consent Judgment reached by Obasanjo was valid and subsisting and should be respected,” Adoke r said.

According to him, at that time, Shell was making an arbitral claim of $2 billion against Nigeria over President Obasanjo’s decision to return the oil block to Malabu in 2006.

He said he should be commended for helping Nigeria avoid such a huge fine.

Adoke said: “Nevertheless, it is nothing but unadulterated mischief by the EFCC to say I am being tried for granting an oil block to Malabu. Even a primary school pupil knows that the Attorney-General does not award oil blocks.

“All oil blocks are awarded by the President on the advice of the Ministry of Petroleum. It is part of the evil agenda and vendetta against me that I would be accused of awarding an oil block, as the EFCC shamelessly claimed in their bizarre press release.

“JP Morgan, which made the payments to Malabu, did not mention by name in court as one of those who authorised the payment. These are now public documents. I was not a signatory to the account. I had no powers to order payments.

“All I gave was legal advice on the letters of the Resolution Agreement, but EFCC’s puppet masters were so desperate to come after me that they painted me as corrupt and attributed all the powers I didn’t have to me.

“The Federal High Court under the Hon. Justice Binta Nyako ruled that I was not liable for carrying out lawful presidential orders, but the EFCC has now assumed the role of interpreting the court judgment as it suits their whims and caprices, even openly showing absolute disrespect for the office of the AGF.”

Adoke said it was “shameful that vultures have taken over the system and are now lording it over the constitution” in a democracy that thrives on law and order.

For the second time in two weeks, the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, appealed to the British Government to help Nigeria retrieve its stolen money stashed in banks in the United Kingdom.

He said it was worrisome the wealth of the country had for a very long time, remained trapped in foreign countries.

He said the delay in repatriating stolen funds was hindering infrastructural development of Nigeria and creating paucity of funds to run the country.

He said Nigeria would have been better if the stolen monies have been returned.

Magu said: “Our worry is that our money has been held for a very long time in foreign countries and if our money is returned, there will be improved infrastructural development in many sectors of the economy.

“If all the repatriated funds are pumped into the country, it will significantly enhance our abilities and capabilities.”

He faulted the rate at which illicit funds are being moved away to Britain and other European countries.

He said the EFCC has carried out a lot of activities in local and foreign airports in trying to stop and apprehend looters exiting or entering the country with illicit funds.

Read Also: How corruption fuels insecurity, by Magu

He disclosed that some unscrupulous elements were smuggling out raw gold, especially from Zamfara State to foreign countries.

A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Tony Orilade, quoted Magu as saying the smuggling was being used to launder money outside the shores of the country.

He said the smugglers were denying the country of the precious natural endowment that would have been processed locally and value gained from it.

He said Nigeria, especially the EFCC, has a good working relationship with the British Government, and has also received lots of support from the UK Government.

The leader of the SOCJA delegation from the UK’s National Crime Agency, Paddy Kerr, disclosed that the visit to the EFCC followed the instruction from the British Government that each team under the Serious Organized Crime Joint Analysts, SOCJA, should go to every region in the world and try to get the picture of its peculiar organized crimes.

Kerr said: “We need to understand from the EFCC’s perspective, what is driving crimes and corruption in Nigeria. What are the key things EFCC is doing that British can assist?”

Aside Nigeria in West Africa, the assignment he said, will take the team to Ghana, Guinea and Senegal, in order to identify the threats and challenges, facing the countries of this region from organized crimes.

Kerr added: “Our job is not to be the experts, but to try to understand what are the underlying causes and driving forces of serious organized crimes, so that we can have better programmes in the future and better direct our resources.”

He disclosed that they were looking at areas of illicit financial flows, bribery, embezzlement and contract negotiation, adding that “we are looking at collaboration that will enhance EFCC’s abilities, intelligence gathering and sharing.”

He called for synergy between the EFCC and SOCJA, noting that “criminals are constantly thinking of new ways to get away with their criminal activities.”

Kerr said Nigerian government needed political will to win the fight against corruption.

He praised President Muhammadu Buhari for the renewed momentum in Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight.

Other members of the delegation are Jim Connelly Webster and Kathryn Lockett.