(PHOTONEWS):40 Exotic Cars Recovered From Ex-Directors By ICPC

The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), is just like the EFCC. Both are corruption tackling agency, these numbers of cars were recovered from their ex-director, definitely corruption begins with him 

Obanikoro In Fresh N450m Election Loot Scandal

Obanikoro

The EFCC has again quizzed ex-Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, for allegedly receiving another N450m from the Coordinator of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation in Lagos, Adewale Onilere, during the countdown to the 2015 presidential election.

Operatives disclosed that the N450m was part of the N23bn ($115m) allegedly disbursed to leaders of the PDP in the 36 states of the federation by ex-Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

A source at the EFCC disclosed that Onilere, who is the Chairman of the PDP in the Somolu LGA, received N650m from the campaign organisation out of which N450m was given to Obanikoro.

He said, “Onilere received N650m and then delivered N450m to Obanikoro at his house. Onilere gave Obanikoro the money in the presence of some PDP leaders.

“So, on Wednesday, we invited Obanikoro to tell his side of the story. However, Obanikoro denied receiving any money from Onilere.

“Since Obanikoro is currently on administrative bail, we let him go. However, we have invited him and Onilere to come to our office in two weeks’ time to face each other. Surely, we will get to the bottom of this.”

EFCC Wants To Steal My Money -- Patience Jonathan

Patience Jonathan

The immediate wife of the former Nigerian president, Patience Jonathan cries out the EFCC wants to steal her money. Patience (mama peace)  accused the EFCC of using mercenaries in court to plead guilty on her behalf, has accused the anti-graft agency of plotting to steal her “hard-earned” money - $15million (about N6.3billion).

Mrs Jonathan has sued EFCC and Skye Bank, laying claims to the money in all the accounts.

The former First Lady alleged that the EFCC presented four unknown people as representatives of the companies, all of who did not show letters authorising them by their respective boards to represent them in the case. 

Her aide, Chima Osuji stated: “It is an irony. It was the former First Lady who went to court for the repatriation of her confiscated money when she realised that the EFCC and its co-travellers were playing politics with this issue after she had come out publicly to say that the said money belongs to her and that she has all evidence to prove the sources of her money." 

In the charge, EFCC alleged that the accused had between November 13, 2013, and June 2015, used different companies to commit the offences.

The accused were alleged to have conspired to retain over 15 million dollars, which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of crime.

The EFCC had established a prima facie case of money laundering against the ex-First Lady and 10 others. The 11 suspects would face trial for alleged money laundering if the recommendation of the investigative team is upheld.

The EFCC declared that “preliminary investigation has also indicted Mrs. Patience Jonathan.”

$15 Million Found in My Account is for Medical Bills – Patience Jonathan

Patience Jonathan

Wife of the immediate past Nigerian president, Dame Patience Jonathan, said she was using her $15m, which was frozen in four companies’ accounts, to settle medical bills while she was out of the country.

She, therefore, urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Skye Bank to lift the restriction on the accounts.

Patience said this in a letter with reference number GA/Abibo/00226/2016, written by her lawyers, Granville Abibo (SAN) and Co, which was addressed to the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.

It can be recalled that the four accounts belonged to the following companies: Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Globus Integrated Service Limited.
A houseboy, a driver and other domestic workers of a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to Jonathan, Waripamowei Dudafa, were named as directors, but Patience’s $15m was lodged in the accounts and she was given a platinum card and exclusive access to the accounts.

The letter read in part, “It is noteworthy to emphasise that the said accounts, which were in US dollar denomination, were card-based accounts and our client is the sole signatory to these accounts.

“However, our client has been operating the said accounts using the cards for her medical bill payments and purchases for her private purposes without any let or hindrance.

“Our client was therefore surprised when the said cards stop functioning on July 7, 2016, or thereabout. Our client immediately, thereupon, contacted Skye Bank Plc through our solicitors.

‘‘It was only then that the bank officials informed our client that the said accounts were placed on a ‘No Debit Order’ following investigations and instruction from your commission and this is without notice to our client by either the bank or the commission.

“It is in the light of the foregoing that we urge you to use your good offices to vacate the ‘No Debit/Freezing Order’ placed on the said accounts.”

Patience, who described herself as a law-abiding citizen, said despite all the explanations she offered to the Lagos Zonal Office of the EFCC, the detectives in charge refused to heed her request.

She, therefore, urged Magu to intervene immediately.

She added, “Despite the foregoing, our client, who is a law-abiding citizen, has watched with surprise how efforts are being made surreptitiously to indirectly harass or harangue her and short-change her of her personal funds in breach of her fundamental human rights.

“We urge you sir, to kindly intervene to stop the untoward and wrongful actions of your officials to embarrass, inconvenience and short-change our client.”

However, a detective in the EFCC said, “We got a relevant court order to freeze those accounts and we have evidence which we will present in court on Friday.

“We did not know that the accounts belonged to Patience Jonathan at the time we froze them. The accounts do not bear her name neither do they carry her BVN (Bank Verification Number). So, how can she accuse us of harassment?

“She has a separate account in Skye Bank with the title ‘Patience Jonathan’, which has a balance of $5m. If she claims she needs money for medical treatment, then the $5m should be alright.”

In a thanksgiving service held at the State House chapel in Abuja on February 18, 2013, Patience had said she underwent seven surgical operations within one month in Germany, adding that the doctors had given up hope on her survival.

She had stated, “I remember when Chief Obasanjo was the President of the country, I was close to his late wife, Stella. We worshiped together in this chapel. It was a painful moment for me that time when she (Stella) died and her corpse was brought here.

“That was how my corpse would have been brought here.

‘‘It was not an easy experience for me. I actually died, I passed out for more than a week. My intestine and tummy were opened.

“I am not Lazarus but my experience was similar to his. My doctors said all hope was lost.’’

FG not persecuting Jonathan, Patience –Mohammed

Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the Federal Government, under President Muhammadu Buhari, is not persecuting Jonathan and his wife, Patience.

Speaking in an interview with journalists in Oro, Kwara State, on Tuesday, Mohammed said it would be wrong to submit that the Federal Government was probing Jonathan or Patience.

He said, “If you look at the history of Mrs. Patience Jonathan’s issue, I think she was the one that came out to claim that the money found in the accounts of one of the aides to the former President, her husband, belonged to her.

“It was not the EFCC that claimed so. She claimed that the money that the guy was being prosecuted for belonged to her. It was only then they later found an extra $5m in another account.

“It is not as if anybody has gone out to probe Mrs. Jonathan directly or indirectly. Rather Mrs. Jonathan was the one that said ‘that money for which you are accusing Mr. X actually belongs to me. So, you cannot start talking of prosecution or persecution.”

The minister said the Federal Government was concerned about the current national economic recession and had initiated measures to address it.

He stated that the current campaign of the Federal Government, ‘‘Change begins with me,’’ was not only for the people but also for the leaders.

Mohammed also said it was incorrect to accuse Buhari’s government of being partisan, selective and vindictive in its anti-corruption war.

He said Buhari would also not spare any APC member accused or guilty of corruption.

He said, “People have always said that no APC politician had been investigated. The question is ‘those who are those being prosecuted today, for what reasons are they being prosecuted?

“It is wrong to say that the government is only investigating and prosecuting PDP members. We have not even started investigating the oil and gas industry. It is not about going out to investigate PDP. No!

‘‘We lost about 15,000 people. Nobody can, in honesty, accuse the FG of being one sided.’’

Patience must explain her source of wealth, says CACOL

Also, a civil society organisation, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, has said Patience must explain how she came about the funds with which she reportedly built a N10bn hotel in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

The hotel, which is known as Aridolf Resort Wellness and Spa, Yenagoa, was inaugurated by Patience in April 2015, barely a month before the end of her husband’s tenure.

But CACOL, which recalled in a statement on Tuesday that Patience was only a Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa State at a time, said the ex-President’s wife must be made to explain the source of her wealth.

The statement by the group’s acting Media Officer, Abiodun Rabiu, quoted the Executive Chairman of CACOL, Debo Adeniran, as saying the EFCC needed no further petition to invite Patience for questioning.

CACOL asked, “How did she (Patience) get the money and even the ones stacked in her accounts? That is what we, Nigerians, want to know. As far as we can understand, she was just a civil servant. So, as a civil servant, how did she manage to acquire such a luxurious property that is worth that amount, because she would have earned less than 10 per cent of the amount even if she had been a Director or Permanent Secretary in the Bayelsa State Civil Service all of the entire years she has spent on earth?”

Jonathan’s campaign funds: EFCC to charge Falae with money laundering

Olu Falae

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is set to arraign a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, for allegedly receiving N100m from the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation during the 2015 General Elections.

The N100m, which was given to Falae on the instruction of a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, was said to have emanated from the imprest account of the Office of the National Security Adviser in the Central Bank of Nigeria.

A document sighted by our correspondent indicated that the commission would charge the ex-SGF and one-time Minister of Finance with conspiracy to indirectly retain the sum of N100m “which he ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012, and punishable under Section 15(3) and 4 of the same Act.”

Falae had, in a statement in February, admitted collecting the N100m, but said he did not know that the money emanated from the account of ONSA.

A detective at the anti-graft agency toldThe Punch that 78-year-old Falae had been frequenting the EFCC office in Lagos in the last couple of weeks.

“Chief Falae has been reporting to our office every week to answer questions on the N100m he received from the Jonathan campaign organisation. We have told him to refund the money.

“But he said he received the money through Anenih and it was meant for campaign. However, investigations revealed that he deposited N60m into SDP’s account while he kept N40m.

“We told him that he should return the N40m, but he has not been forthcoming. We have no other option but to charge him to court.”

The EFCC had alleged in March that about N3.145bn was mysteriously transferred from the account of ONSA to the account of  the Joint Trust Dimensions Limited, a company allegedly owned by the Director of Finance, Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Senator Nenadi Usman.

Usman was said to have transferred N840m to the account of the Director of Publicity of the organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, in Zenith Bank, Maitama branch, with account number, 1004735721, on February 19, 2015.

Falae, who is the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, allegedly received N100m through a company, Marreco Limited, where he is chairman. The fund was credited into the company’s United Bank for Africa Plc account, 1000627022, on March 25, 2014.

According to the document, N320m was also paid into the bank account of the Goodluck Support Group, an association which played a major role in Jonathan’s campaign.

A former Governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa, and a former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Viola Onwuliri, also got N350m in two tranches. The first tranche of N150m was paid into their joint account with Zenith Bank on January 13, 2015. The second tranche of N200m was credited into their account with Diamond Bank.

Usman and Fani-Kayode had been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos and their accounts frozen, while Udenwa is expected to be arraigned this week.

The source at the EFCC told our correspondent that since all the others were facing prosecution, it would only be fair for Falae to be charged.

‘He was detained for hours without food’

A spokesman for Falae, Mr. Alfa Mohammed, said any attempt to prosecute Falae would be nothing but a witch-hunt.

Mohammed, who spoke on the telephone, said Falae had been ill for some time because of the stress of shuttling between Lagos and Ondo due to the EFCC investigation.

He said the former presidential candidate was usually grilled for eight hours without food or water.

He said Falae never used part of the money for his personal benefit, adding that the money was used by the SDP to campaign for Jonathan.

He said, “The PDP wanted us to render a service and they gave us money, which we did by adopting and working for Jonathan. So, what is our business with arms deal?

“We never had contact with Dasuki. If you are given money to cook food for guests at a ceremony and after everyone has eaten, you are informed that the money given to you was stolen from CBN, would you tell all the guests to pay you?

“This is nothing but harassment. They want to distract us from the coming Ondo election which we are set to win. The SDP still owes Chief Falae N70m because we asked him to borrow N170m in anticipation that the PDP would pay, but the party  gave us only N100m.

“The N100m came about three days to the election and chief had been spending money before then. He has fallen ill because of the intense interrogation in the EFCC office. The operatives usually grill him for eight hours without food or water. If they are probing party funds, let them start from the APC.”

PUNCH

EFCC Set to Arraign Jonathan’s Former aide, lawyer Over $15.6m fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has instituted a 17-count charge of $15.6m fraud against a former aide of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa.

The suit was filed before Justice Abdulazeez Anka of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday.

Also listed as defendants in the charge are a legal practitioner, Amajuoyi Briggs, and one Demola Bolodeoku.

The EFCC is seeking to arraign them alongside five companies, namely: Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited; Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited; Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited and Globus Integrated Services Limited.

FUNAAB VC, Bursar Invited By EFCC for Alleged Unbridled Corruption Case

Prof. Olusola Oyewole

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday quizzed the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, (FUNAAB), Abeokuta, Prof Olusola Oyewole, alongside the Institution Bursar, Moses Ilesanmi following a petition received by the antigraft body from a group known as ‘Concerned Stakeholders of FUNAAB’.

The duo who were then invited for questioning by the anti-graft commission, arrived at the EFCC Zonal Office located at 16, Revd Oyebode Crescent, Iyaganku, GRA, Ibadan at exactly 9:48 am in a two black saloon cars.

Confirming their invitation, the EFCC official face book page, ‘OfficialEFCC’, it reads that the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture,(FUNAAB),  Abeokuta, Prof Olusola Oyewole, alongside the Institution Bursar, Moses Ilesanmi   were invited for questioning based on allegations of corruption levelled against them. The allegation is based on unbriddled corruption and betrayal of public trust.

“The university officials were told to come along with certified true copies of documents including those of capital projects executed in their tenure.”

While Mr. Oyewole, a Professor of Food Science and Technology, was appointed in 2012, Mr. Ilesanmi was appointed in September 2011 and is scheduled to leave office in a month.

The EFCC is also investigating payments made by the university to the governing council of the institution led by a former senator, Adeseye Ogunlewe.

The invited officials were asked to come with records of all payments made to Mr. Ogunlewe and other members of the governing council since their appointment in 2013.

Mr. Ogunlewe, who represented Lagos State in the Senate, was appointed pro-chancellor of the university by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

An internal sources in the institution further revealed to The Nation that the duo are being investigated for spending over 250  million Naira for allowances in four years in a university that is crying out for lack of funds for the primary mandate of teaching, research and extension services.

The source further said that: “In the same period of four years,the Vice-Chancellor has gotten approvals cumulating to almost N100 million for spurious allowances which run contrary to government directives on payment of salaries, emoluments and allowances for public officers.

“A situation where the university has palatial vice chancellors lodge, yet collects huge allowances running into tens of millions for same. A situation where furniture allowance is to be received only once in the term of the office holder but the Vice Chancellor of FUNAAB collects furniture allowances annually.”

As at the time of filling this report, the duo are still been grilled in the EFCC office and are yet to be released.

Fake Lawyer Nabbed Over 7 Million Scam

A man identified as ThankGod Echem have just been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following the allegation that he collected over 7 million from  clients, pretend himself as a lawyer in Port Harcourt

In a statement issued by Mr Wilson Uwujaren, the commission`s Head of Media and Publicity, in Abuja on Monday.

Uwujaren said Echem, who confessed to being a school certificate holder, was arrested following a petition to the EFCC by one of his clients, Mr Jonny Wali.

“Wali alleged that the fake lawyer defrauded him of seven million, being part of the money awarded him by a Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt.

EFCC Investigates ‘Missing’ N3bn Military Operation Cash

How did the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) utilise the multi-billion naira it collected from some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for military operations between 2007 and 2015?

This is one of the issues the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is expected to look into as it begins the probe of 56 individuals and organisations, including two former army chiefs – Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika and Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah —and former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki, over N405 billion defence contracts scam.

The MDAs were said to have funded the Nigerian Army procurement through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

A document obtained by The Nation said ONSA collected various sums from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), among others for military operations, but the Defence Headquarters and the Services denied receipt of the money.

Resigned Or Be Forced To Resign --- 206 Reps Tell Speaker Dogara

The 206-member Transparency Group in the House of Representatives has told Speaker Yakubu Dogara to resign honourably over his alleged involvement in budget padding or be forced out.

The group also alleged that Dogara diverted 50 per cent of the total capital projects allocated to Bauchi State to his constituency.”

National Assembly Can No Longer Steal Our Money With Impunity

According to Abayomi who has been fighting this oddity since 2002 and has a case in court about it, there is nothing like constituency project since the National Assembly has NO power, whatever, to insert any project in a budget, the Nation reports.

REVEALED: How ₦1.2 Billion was packed in 65 bags for Obanikoro in early morning airport operation – Bank official reveals

Obanikoro

Revelations coming from a witness in the alleged diversion of that sum by former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, to Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State for the prosecution of the 2014 governor election in the state, said it took ten hours, and two aircraft over three flights.

Head of Cash-In-Trust Service of Diamond Bank, Damola Otuyalo, said in a statement of oath to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) that the money was first taken to the Ikeja Airport at dawn in 65 bags before being dispatched to Ekiti State via the Akure airport.

REVEALED: Femi Falana Explained How A Governor Wants To Use Him For Money Laundering

Femi Falana

Nigeria Respected Lawyer and Activist, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana has disclosed how he declined a mouth-watering N405 million brief from an unnamed former governor to help him launder funds abroad.

Falana, whose testimonial was contained in the current edition of ALERT, a monthly pull-out by the EFCC, pleaded with his colleagues to be wary of briefs from politically-exposed persons (PEPs).

Lawyer Falana said: 

“The governor asked me to assist him in transferring money abroad, and that I should claim it to be proceeds from sale of his property in Nigeria. “And the price was extremely attractive. He was going to pay me a million pounds then, when money was money.

I never received N3Trillion as Governor of Rivers State, My Government Was Transparent

Rotimi Amaechi

Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has again reiterated that as governor of Rivers State for 8 years, he was transparent and did not embezzle money meant for the people. Amaechi said, as governor, he did not receive over N3.trillion naira as alleged by his successor, Nyesom Wike.

Amaechi made the clarification at a stakeholders' forum on corruption organised by Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja, Thursday.