As court grants Naira Marley bail application while the condition is to look for N2 million for release bail, social media company Twitter has suspended the official account of the ‘Why’ crooner today, this could be linked to ongoing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission over a credit fraud case
Twitter has not issued any official statement to that regard, but everything linked to his current fraud case with the Nigerian government.
Tom Awhana, the former Head of Chambers for the Law Office of Mr. Mogbeyi Sagay, a late Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) was on arraigned on Friday at an Ikeja Special Offences Court for stealing N188.7 million belonging to the law firm of the late senior lawyer.
Awhana was arraigned alongside Paul Okoro a former lawyer in the law firm who is also accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of stealing N3.6million from the firm.
Awhana and Okoro pleaded not guilty to a joint charge of conspiracy to steal.
Okoro denied the charge of stealing while Awhana pleaded not guilty to a 16-count charge of stealing.
According to the EFCC, Awhana was the Head of Chambers of the law firm of Mogbeyi Sagay and Co. from 2010 to 2018.
Sagay his Principal, died in 2012.
He was made signatory to the law firm's Zenith Bank Account alongside three administrators of the late SAN's estate.
It was allegedly mandated that three persons out of the four administrators can withdraw from the bank account with the cheque booklet of the Zenith Bank account in Awhana's possession.
The prosecution said that unknown to the staff of the firm, other administrators and the consultant to the law firm, Awhana opened other secret bank accounts in the name of Mogbeyi Sagay (SAN) and Co. in FCMB, Union Bank and Heritage Bank Plc.
The first defendant (Awhana) is alleged to have diverted drawn cheques into those secret accounts. He is also alleged to have from 2012 to 2017, stolen a total of N188.7 million belonging to Mogbeyi Sagay (SAN) and Co.
Okoro, the second defendant, is alleged by the prosecution to have from Oct. 14, 2012 to June 28 2013, stole N3.6 million belonging to the law firm.
According to the EFCC, the offenses contravene Sections 287 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2015.
Following the plea of the defendants, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, the lead prosecuting counsel for the anti-graft agency, requested for a trial date adding that the court should impose stiff bail conditions on the lawyers.
"I have discussed with my learned friends, I will leave it to my lordship to impose bail conditions that will make the defendants available in court throughout this trial," Oyedepo said.
Ms. Oluwaseun Olusiyi, the defense counsel to Awhana, via a bail application dated May 17 asked the court to grant him bail in self recognizance.
"The first defendant is a legal practitioner of high repute and negotiations towards an amicable resolution are underway with the complainant. He was the Head of Chambers of the firm," Olusiyi said.
Mr. K. U Ani, the counsel to Okoro the second defendant in his bail application dated May 17 also asked the court to grant him bail on self recognizance.
"The second defendant has fractured his legs and is depending on medical treatment. I ask that ypu grant him bail on self recognisance My Lord," he said.
Justice Mojisola Dada in a short ruling noted that settlement talks were ongoing between the complainant and the defendants.
She ordered that as a bail condition, Awhana and Okoro should submit their international passports to the court.
"The defendants shall however submit their international passports pending the determination of this suit.
"They shall be remanded in prison custody till the perfection of their bail condition. This case is adjourned until June 4 for trial," she said.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Advance Fee Fraud Section, Abuja Headquarters in collaboration with men from the Benin Zonal Office in an operation on Friday 17, 2019 arrested 22 suspected internet fraudsters during an early morning raid at Sapele, Delta State.
Working on intelligence reports, the suspects, who are between the ages of 18 to 30 years, were smoked out from their hideout in an early morning operation.
A day earlier, the operatives from Abuja had arrested two suspected internet fraudster in Ughelli, Delta State.
Items recovered from the suspects include lap top computers, iPhones, phones, ATM cards and three exotic vehicles. The cars are Benz C350, Benz ML 350 and Chrysler 300.
The raid on the internet fraudsters is one in the series by operatives of the Commission in line with the directive of the acting Executive Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Magu to rid the entire country of internet fraud and cyber crime.
The suspects have made useful statements and will be charged to court as soon investigations are completed.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has filed an 11-count charge on credit card fraud against Naira Marley (real name Azeez Fashola).
This is coming after the singer’s team released a statement saying he was arrested with an item that wasn’t his at his apartment in the early hours of last Friday, his birthday.
Punch reports that the charges were were filed before a Lagos State High Court and the singer is facing in hail if found guilty.
He is said to be arraigned on Monday, May 20th.
The charges read in part:
That you, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Raze (still at large), on or about the 11th day of December 2018, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired amongst yourselves to use Access card 42658840359191132 issued to persons other than you in a bid to obtain gain and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(b) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 33(2) of the Same Act.
That you, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Raze (still at large), on or about the 10th day of May 2019, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, with intent to defraud possessed, counterfeit card 4921819410257431 issued to Timea Fedorne Tatar and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 33(9) of Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.
According to the EFCC, some of the credit cards bore the names: Nicole Louise Malyon and Timea Fedorne Tatar.
See the charge sheet below:
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday told Senate President, Bukola Saraki not to be afraid if he has no skeletons in his cupboard.
The commission insisted that it must go on with the probe on the tenure of Saraki as governor of Kwara State between 203 and 2011.
A statement issued by the EFCC’s spokesperson, Tony Orilade, said the commission had the sacred mandate of eradicating corruption from the system without protecting any sacred cow.
The statement said the commission would conduct a legitimate forensic inquiry into Saraki’s tenure as a governor.
The EFCC said it had taken note of the reactions of Saraki to the commission’s inquiries regarding his earnings as Kwara State governor as well as on the quality of his financial stewardship in the Senate, saying that while it was his prerogative to ventilate his views on the matter as he deemed fit, the commission took great exception at the desperate attempt to cast a slur on its investigative activities by portraying Saraki as a victim of persecution.
The statement said the commission found the attempt by Saraki to tie its inquest to his International Human Rights Commission, IHRC appointment and his approaching life out of power as misleading, knowing too well that the background to its current inquiries reached several years back.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the EFCC is obligated by law to enthrone probity and accountability in the governance space and has supremely pursued this duty without ill-will or malice against anyone. It is in the interest of the public and for Saraki’s personal good, that he is not only above board, but be seen at all times to be so,” it stated.
It added that Saraki’s probe was guided by the overriding public interest, saying that all the instances in which the EFCC have had cause to sleuth into his financial activities either as a former governor or President of the Senate were driven by overarching public interest and due process of the law.
“Against the background of the possession of indicting petitions and other evidence available to the EFCC, even Saraki will agree with the commission that putting him through a legitimate forensic inquiry is the legitimate route to establish his integrity as a public servant. The distinguished Senate President has no need to fret so long as he has no skeletons in his cupboard,” the EFCC said.
Former Governor of Ekiti state, Mr Ayodele Fayose, who reported to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja on Tuesday, on the commission’s invitation, is still in its custody.
But, the commission has declined comment on the issue, preferring the media await developments on it.
Head of Media and Publicity of the commission, Mr Wilson Uwajeren, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja that there was “nothing to report at the moment”.
“If there is anything, I will get across to you,” he said.
While reporting at the EFCC on Tuesday, Fayose had said that he was there to keep his promise to honour the commission’s invitation and to respond to any allegation against him.
The former governor, whose tenure ended on Monday, was accompanied to the EFCC by Rivers Governor, Mr Nyesom Wike and former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode.
He had at the commission’s office said
“I am here in line with my promise that I will be here on the 16th of October.”
A senior lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), had told NAN on Thursday that the EFCC had no right to keep Fayose beyond 24 hours without charging him.
He said that it was either that the commission charged the former governor to court or free him so as not to foul the law.
According to the human rights lawyer, the EFCC has no right to keep him for over 24 hours.
He said
“If they have done that by obtaining a Magistrate Court’s order that will be in the form of a holding charge, which has been declared unconstitutional and illegal by the Supreme Court.
“Holding charge is illegal. It is unconstitutional.’’
Ozekhome said that the section of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) permitting a magistrate to detain a suspect for 14 days was illegal.
He explained that any action outside the provisions of Section 35 of the Constitution, which specifically provided for 24 hours, was illegal and unconstitutional.
He said that the ACJA allowed for detention of a suspect for 14 days, but that Section 35 of the Constitution made it clear that a person could only be detained for 24 hours.
“So, when there is a clash between the statute, like the ACJA, and the Constitution, the Constitution prevails by virtue of Section 1(3).
“If they have gotten an order for two weeks from the magistrate court, it is unconstitutional,” Ozekhome stressed.
He, however, disclosed that efforts had begun to secure the release of Fayose.
According to Ozekhome, Fayose’s lawyers are already taking steps to enforce his fundamental human rights by getting him released.
“Yes, his lawyers will go to court to enforce his fundamental human rights.”
NAN
The outgoing Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has said he is ready to face the investigation team of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
According to a media report, the EFCC had already set up a special team to grill the governor for allegedly receiving over N1.2bn from a former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (retd.) through a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.
Fayose, who said he had a clear conscience, told the commission to expect him in its office on October 16, a day after the expiration of his tenure.
“He who has clear conscience fears no foe. The EFCC should still expect me at 1pm next Tuesday,” he said.
Fayose spoke on Wednesday during the inauguration of a new school he built in his Afao-Ekiti home country as part of his legacies projects in the state.
At the event, he asked workers to collect their outstanding four months’ salaries from the incoming governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi. He said the funds he could have used to pay them as expected had been withheld by the Federal Government ahead of Fayemi’s resumption.
“They paid other states Paris Refund, they didn’t pay Ekiti; Fayemi should help me pay the money.
“They didn’t pay Ekiti N2.2bn Budget Support Fund; my promise is fulfilled but the money is in the hands of the government, they should help me to pay.”
The governor told the gathering that he did not borrow money from anywhere to fund any of the projects.
“With all these legacy projects, I didn’t borrow any dime. I do not owe any debt, if they say I owe, they should show evidence of the transaction.
“Besides, no governor can borrow without the knowledge of the Ministry of Finance and the Debt Management Office.”
Fayose urged the incoming administration not to neglect the school or abandon any legacy project. He said the school named Gifted Academy International would receive students from Ekiti and outside on 50:50 ratio.
“The school is equipped with modern equipment, laboratories, furniture and Closed-Circuit Television for surveillance,” he said.
Indications have emerged on how embattled Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, who is battling an impeachment notice served on him on Monday allegedly diverted about N29billion state funds into his personal use.
Colossus Gists learned that investigation by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the last three years following distressed intelligence reports and petitions over alleged fraudulent activities revealed that Governor Ortom has not only presided over a corrupt administration but a House of Assembly deeply emersed in corruption.
Reliable source from the EFCC stated that the investigation was triggered off by an intelligence report that Ortom had through his aide allegedly withdrawn N8billion state fund from the treasury. Surprisingly, however, it was discovered that about N19bn was diverted through cash withdrawals by government officials. It was further revealed that between June 1, 2015 and February 30, 2016, an additional sum of N8billion was diverted by state government officials from four separate state government bank accounts specifically marked as security vote and maintenance of security.
The EFCC source added that the security operatives are trying to unravel how Benue State Government House account No. 1017348051 with UBA, a sister Benue State Government House account No. 0027952907 with Guaranty Trust Bank GTB was easily manipulated.
The House of Representatives has summoned the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, and the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele to appear before its joint committee on finance and public accounts with details of recovered looted funds from 1999 to date.
Chinda, who insisted that the officials should appear on Tuesday, lamented the absence of the invited stakeholders to the hearing.
He stressed the importance of the exercise to the economy and development of the nation.
While declaring the hearing opened, Yakubu Dogara had said that the House of Representatives would not continue to look on as confusion trails the recovery of looted funds and assets.
Dogara said,
“It is common knowledge that there are a lot of conflicting reports and claims from various agencies of government concerning the status of the funds and assets recovered from some citizens and corporate entities by law enforcement agencies.
“As a parliament, we cannot fold our arms and allow the confusion trailing the whereabouts of the recovered funds and assets to continue. This is why the House of Representatives resolved to mandate this Joint Committee to investigate the issue in the interest of accountability and transparency.”
The speaker added that the investigation had become necessary in order to ascertain how the recovered resources were being appropriated, saying the inquiry was in line with the duties of the National Assembly as stated in the Constitution.
“We believe that as a parliament, we owe the people of Nigeria the duty to ascertain the resources available to government and how they are being appropriated in their interest. This is in line with the exercise of our Constitutional powers in Sections 88 and 89 of the Nigerian Constitution, 1999 as amended.”
He urged the committee to handle the matter with utmost seriousness as the matter was capable of eroding the credibility of the present administration.
“The total value of recovered funds and assets is estimated at $2trillion and the House has also mandated its Committee on Financial Crimes to investigate whether any crimes have been committed in the course of the management and disbursement of funds recovered by the federal government in the last 12 years”, Dogara said.
Protests rock the Plateau State High Court, Jos over the continuing detention of Jonah David Jang, a former Plateau State governor and current senator representing Plateau North Senatorial District by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for allegedly embezzling N6.3 billion.
Jang was detained in the custody of the EFCC last Monday and has not been arraigned in court.
The protesting youths who besieged the court premises demanded the release of Jang with immediate effect.
Youth spokesman Joshua Adeyemi said the detention of Jang beyond 24 hours is against the senator’s fundamental human rights.
Details shortly.....
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, told the Federal High Court in Abuja that former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, did not declare the $9,772,800 and £74,000 that was recovered from his guest house in Kaduna.
Yakubu The anti-graft agency told the court that Yakubu who was GMD of the NNPC between 2012 and 2014, stashed the “loot” which is over N3billion, in a fireproof safe inside the house. It said the foreign currencies were found after investigators at its Kano Zonal office, engaged an expert that cracked the code the defendant used to lock the safe.
EFCC brought one of its lead detectives in Kano State, Mr. Sambo Muazu, to testify before the court. In his Evidence-In-Chief, Muazu, told the court that he took statement from the ex-NNPC boss who he said later filled an EFCC assets declaration form. The witness who was led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Ben Ikani, said the defendant, while filing the form, failed to list the recovered monies among his assets.
Muazu said EFCC had upon its discovery of the funds, investigated some contracts that were signed while Yakubu was the GMD of NNPC. According to the witness,
“In 2015, we commenced investigation into two categories of contracts which were awarded by NNPC and its subsidiaries.
“The first category relates to Strategic Alliance Agreement (SAA) between NNPC’s subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited (AEDCL). The contract was signed between NPDC and AEDCL.
“The first SAA was on Oil Mining Lease (OML) 26, 30, 34, 40 and 42. The second SAA was on OML 60, 61, 62, and 63.
“The investigation was sequel to intelligence report received by the EFCC relating to suspicious fund transfers from AEDCL’s account in Nigeria to a sister company called Atlantic Energy Holdings (AEH)
“Also, additional transfers from Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited (AEBDL) to the same Atlantic Energy Holdings. The AHL’s accounts are based in Switzerland.
“There were also transfers from Atlantic Energy Holdings account in Switzerland to the Nigerian accounts of the two sister companies – AEDCL and AEBDL. “It was on the basis of these suspicious transactions that we commenced investigation.
“In the course of investigation, it became necessary to seek clarification from Engr. Andrew Yakubu. He was accordingly invited, and we interacted with him. And thereafter, we reduced the interaction into writing.
“The two SAA were executed between the end of 2011 to 2014 April, during which Engr. Andrew Yakubu was the Group Managing Director of NNPC. He was in office from June 2012 to August 2014.
“After our interaction and his statement recorded, he declared his assets sometime between July and August 2015.
“The EFCC has a standard assets declaration form. A copy of that form was given to Engr. Andrew Yakubu. He filled the form, declaring his assets.
“He was asked to declare his assets based on the allegations that the company Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept was allowed to lift crude oil worth over $1billion without fulfilling the necessary obligations on their path.
“It was on this basis that investigation was conducted and thereafter, some individuals were charged to court.”
Yakubu is answering to a six-count charge EFCC preferred against him. It will be recalled that the former NNPC boss was undergoing medical treatment in the United Kingdom when the EFCC, acting on a tip-off, raided his guest house situated at Sabon Tasha, Kaduna State, and recovered the alleged loot which was in foreign currencies.
The defendant who was granted N300million bail with two sureties in the like sum, earlier asked the high court to order EFCC to return the seized money to him, insisting that it was part of monetary gifts he received on various occasions.
A Federal High Court in Kano had on February 13, 2017, granted interim order forfeiting the recovered monies to the federal government. FG had in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/ CR/ 43/ 2017, alleged that Yakubu failed to declare the money in the assets form he filed at the EFCC on August 18, 2015, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 27(3) (a) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act 2004 and punishable under section 27(3) (c) of the same Act.
In count three and four of the charge dated March 9, FG, alleged that Yakubu had between 2012 and 2014, without going through a financial institution, received cash payments of $9, 772, 800 and £74, 000, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 of Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 and punishable under section 16(2) of the Act.
In count five and six, FG alleged that Yakubu had with intent to avoid a lawful transaction under the law, transferred at various times in Kaduna, aggregate sums of $9,772, 800 and £74, 000, when he reasonably ought to know that the said funds formed part of the proceed of some form of unlawful activity and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 7(4) (b) (ii) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act, 2006.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Friday arraigned Bellview and First Nation airlines with an alleged fraud of N1.7bn.
Joined as the first defendant in the charge was the Managing Director of First Nation Airlines, Mr. Kayode Odukoya.
The airlines and Odukoya were arraigned on four counts before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Ikeja Special Offences Court.
The charges border on forgery, use of forged documents, perjury and stealing.
The EFCC, in the charges, alleged that the defendants forged the Memorandum of Loss of Lagos State Certificate of Occupancy registered as No. 33, at page 33, Volume 1011 at the Lagos State Land Registry, Alausa, Lagos.
According to the EFCC, the allegedly forged document was in respect of a property located at No. 29 Oduduwa Street, GRA, Ikeja.
The EFCC claimed that the defendants forged the document “in order that the document be acted upon as genuine.”
Odukoya was accused of dishonestly converting to his own a sum of N1.7bn belonging to Skye Bank Plc.
The prosecutor, Mr. M.S. Usman, told the court that the defendants acted contrary to sections 85, 86(1), 278(1)(b), 285, 361(1)(a)(b), 363 and 364(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
But the defendants pleaded not guilty.
The judge ordered the remand of Odukoya in the custody of the EFCC.
She adjourned till March 26, 2018, to hear Odukoya’s bail application.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday withdrew the charges against ex-Oyo State Head of Service, Alhaja Kudirat Adeleke, and 11 others arraigned for alleged N5.6 billion pension scam.
The commission announced its intention of discontinuance with the suit before Justice Laniran Akintola of an Oyo State High Court in Ibadan.
Others linked with the alleged scam are Muili Aderemi, Iyabo Giwa, Adesina Ayoade, Oguntayo Banji, Adebiyi Musenbiq, Muili Adedamola, Adeduntan Johnson, Bosede Johnson, Kareem Rasheed, Olujimi Adebayo and Adewale Kehinde.
The EFCC’s counsel, Mr Simon Ibekwute, informed the court on Friday that the commission wants the case to be discontinued as contained in the notice of discontinuance dated Feb. 6 and filed on Feb. 9.
Ibekwute told the court that not all the parties involved in the matter had been served and prayed for an adjournment to enable him serve them.
Reacting, counsel to Adeleke, Mr Richard Ogunwole (SAN), urged EFCC’s counsel to ensure that service was done early in order to ascertain the next line of action.
Ogunwole expressed dismay at the case, saying the property of the defendants had been with the EFCC since 2013.
Other defence counsel aligned with the submission of Ogunwole.
Akintola adjourned the case till May 4 to enable EFCC’s counsel serve notice of discontinuance on the counsel of the defendants.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adeleke and 11 others were charged with defrauding the Oyo State Local Government Staff Pension Board to the tune of N5.6 billion.
The defendants were arraigned on a 213-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretences as well as fraud and forgery.
The EFCC, Lagos Zonal office, has arrested 15 suspected Internet fraudsters for offences bordering on obtaining by false pretence, lottery scam and love scam. .
The suspects are: Adeyemi Tiwatope, 20; Odeyemi Olawale, 20; Nike Afolabi Olaiya, 20; Awe Abimbola Ireti, 23; Yusuf Aliu Oluwafemi, 20; Osidipe Olatunbosun, 24; Tosin Adesanya, 19 and Adeyinka Bello, 17. .
Others are: Aliu Lukman, 18; Damilola Fatona, 20; Shonubi Adetola, 18; Adewale Babatunde, 17; Afolabi Lekan, 19; Awe Ayodele, 24 and Adeyemi Gbadebo, 19. .
The suspects were arrested on Saturday, February 3, 2018 in the Shotubo and Awoluwo areas of Sagamu, Ogun State. They were alleged to be living flamboyantly without legitimate sources of income. .
Items recovered from the suspects include laptops, phones bearing scanned forged documents, six exotic cars, charms and SIM cards, among others. .
Meanwhile, in a related development, the EFCC also recovered coffins, calabashes and gourds from the home of a suspected kingpin of a syndicate of fraudsters, Adesanya R. Olaoluwa, who is currently under the EFCC watch. .
Olaoluwa is alleged to be a herbalist who performs rituals for fraudsters to hypnotise unsuspecting victims. The suspects will soon be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
Chairman of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) Innoson Group, Dr. Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma
The Federal Government has distanced itself from the arrest and detention of the Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Specifically, the anti-graft agency on Wednesday flew Chukwuma by Air Peace airline from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport to Lagos after being detained for over 24 hours after being whisked from his Enugu residence. The automaker has, however, alleged that his ordeal was a fallout of his firm’s legal dispute with a new generation bank over a loan taken and repaid some years ago.
There is a judgment debt of about N8 billion in favour of Innoson but an appeal by the bank is pending at the Supreme Court.The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, made the denial yesterday while fielding questions from reporters at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
His words: “Relevant agencies are yet to officially informed me of the circumstances that culminated in the alleged arrest of Chukwuma,” adding that the EFCC was yet to brief him. Consequently, he could not give more details on the development.He continued: “In all sincerity, I was not privy to facts that led to the stated arrest. I have not been formally briefed by the relevant agencies.
“One thing I know about Innoson is the fact that there has been a pending case between him and GTBank which case is pending in court and is being prosecuted accordingly. “Other than that, I am not privy to the fact and circumstances that led to the alleged arrest yesterday (Wednesday). So, until I am briefed by the relevant agencies, I am not in the clear position to make any disclosure relating to that.”
However, Chukwuma yesterday returned to Enugu to a rousing reception.Dressed in traditional fabrics, the Innoson boss declared that he was picked like a “common criminal” from his residence by EFCC operatives.
He said: “I thank everybody who fought for this matter because I was surprised that in the early morning of that Tuesday, some armed persons jumped into my house. I thought they were kidnappers or armed robbers but finally I noticed they were EFCC officials.”
It was around 7:30a.m. in the morning. They said they want to arrest me and I joined them to their office and up till now they have not told me my offence.“They arrested me like a criminal and took me to their office in Enugu and from there to the airport on shorts and singlet to Lagos. When I got to their office, they said I should go but they didn’t tell me what I did.”
Also yesterday, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign state of Biafra (MASSOB) described the invasion of the complex of Chukwuma as an insult to Igbo race.
In a statement by its leader, Comrade Uchenna Madu, he condemned the condemned the development, noting that the action was hatched by the Federal Government in consonance with its alleged hatred for Ndigbo.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has detained the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada.
The anti-graft agency traced N500m to the former governor’s account on Monday.
The money, it is understood, was said to be part of the N23bn allegedly disbursed by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, through the then Director of Finance of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation , Senator Nenadi Usman.
He arrived the EFCC office around 12pm and was still in custody around 9 pm.
A former Chief of Administration, Nigerian Air Force (NAF) headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Alkali Mamu (rtd), on Monday told Justice Salisu Garba of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that he was tutored and teleguided by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in making his statement.
He is standing trial on a four count amended charges of corruption and bribery preferred against him by the commission.
Mamu, while being led in evidence by his counsel, Chief Joseph Daudu, SAN, narrated how the EFCC suppressed part of his statement and also threatened to involve his two daughters should he fail to refund the money he was being accused of collecting as bribe.
He explained that his request that his lawyers be present during his interrogation and his subsequent writing of his statement was turned down on the grounds that all they were after was the recovery of funds.
He said though he was accompanied to the EFCC’s office by one Commander Sunday Jigawa who was at that time NAF Deputy Director, the operatives refused to allow him be by his side.
“The first statement I wrote is not before this court. The additional statement marked n1 and n4 obtained from St1 was removed from the statement I made.
”Again I noticed that the supporting documents I submitted both in st1 and St 2 are not before this court,” he said.
Mamu told the court that his vehicles impounded by the EFCC are still in the custody of the anti-graft agency and prayed the court for an order to return the vehicles and or replace them.
He further prayed the court to compel the EFCC operatives to return the sum of $300,000 and N5.9million they obtained from him.
Prosecuting counsel, Sylvanus Tahir who had opposed the tendering of the 2nd document said, the documents were never part of the proceedings.
Tahir, wondered why a document addressed to the AGF will be tendered to a different agency of government and added that they were gross violation of Section 102,103 and 104 of the Evidence Act and therefore cannot be admissible.
Justice Garba adjourned to 13 and 14 December for ruling on the objections of prosecution counsel to the admissibility of some of the documents and for cross examination by the prosecution.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has launched a fresh manhunt for a former head of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina.
Mr. Maina was sacked from the civil service in 2013 and was in 2015 placed on the wanted list of International Police (INTERPOL) by the EFCC.
PREMIUM TIMES on Friday reported how Mr. Maina was secretly reinstated to the civil service, with promotion, despite being wanted for alleged corruption.
Additional details obtained by this newspaper show that the embattled civil servant was issued a letter of reinstatement dated October 2 by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.
The Minister of Interior, Abdurahman Dambazau, earlier on Sunday absolved himself of any culpability in Mr. Maina’s reinstatement, saying it was done by the Head of Service.
The October 2 letter claimed that Mr. Maina’s case was reviewed and that a decision was taken that he be reinstated.
The same letter also gave his new posting as acting director of the Department of Human Resources at the Ministry of Interior.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the reinstatement was at the behest of the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, who gave a favorable legal advice on the case.
Mr. Malami’s spokesperson, Salihu Othman, however said he was unaware of his boss’s role in the deal.
Irked by the news of Mr. Maina’s silent re-entry into
the country, the EFCC leadership convened an emergency meeting on Sunday to strategize on the case.
A source, who was part of the meeting, said the commission’s boss, Ibrahim Magu, who was out of Abuja when PREMIUM TIMES broke the Maina story, convened a meeting of operatives working on the case.
As part of the fallouts of the meeting, according to our source, operatives were detailed “to smoke out Mr. Maina wherever he might be”.
Mr. Maina is said to be shuttling between Kaduna and Abuja since he sneaked back into the country.
Aside the Ministry of Interior, Mr. Maina’s new work place, detectives are said to have spread around the city, including a safe house that is said to have been offered Mr. Maina by one of the nation’s security agencies.
Also being closely watched by operatives are Mr. Maina’s many houses in Abuja including one EFCC sources said he bought in June 2015 for a massive $2 million cash.
Corroborating our source, EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, told PREMIUM TIMES Mr. Maina “is still a fugitive. We are after him”.
The EFCC is also said to be deeply angry at how someone that was put on the wanted list of INTERPOL could be helped by government officials to sneak back into the country and then rewarded with a promotion to higher office.
The commission suspects sabotage, according to a highly placed official.
Documents seen by our reporter show the many correspondences between the EFCC and Interpol on the request to put Mr. Maina’s name on the agency’s wanted list.
The commission first wrote the Inspector General of Police in November 2015, a few days after Mr. Magu assumed office, asking for Mr. Maina’s name to be flagged by Interpol.
However, the letter was declared missing by the office of the Commissioner in charge of Interpol at the Force Headquarters, making the commission to make the request again.
On January 12, 2016, Interpol wrote to the EFCC again requesting for additional details to enable it publish the red alert. EFCC replied the letter, providing the details requested.
However, a search for Mr. Maina’s name on the Interpol website returned no record.
Source
Sahara Reporters
A Lagos Federal High Court, has ordered the permanent forfeiture of 56 houses linked to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The Justice Abdulaziz Anka-led court gave the order while ruling on the matter, on Wednesday.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission claimed that Diezani acquired the said houses located in Lagos and Port Harcourt between 2011 and 2013 using front companies.
EFCC said the former Minister paid $21,982,224 for the properties, adding that the funds were allegedly from proceeds of crime.
The Commission listed the properties to include 29 terraced houses comprising eight four-bedroomed penthouse apartments, six three-bedroom apartments, two three-bedroom maisonettes, two twin bedroom apartments and one four-bedroom apartment.
Details later…
Ibrahim Magu, Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has said that the Nigerian Government is working on extraditing former Petroleum Minister Allison Madueke-Diezani from the UK.
He said this in an interview with The Punch, adding that all of the discovered loot would not amount to more than 15% of what she actually stole from the country.
Magu also blamed his generation for the corruption issue crippling the country.
He said the EFCC is going on a campaign against corruption, to avoid it eating into the next generation.
Read his full statement below:
We are working on the process of Diezani’s extradition. But we have to allow them (the UK government) because we are collaborating. There is the National Crime Agency and the Crown Prosecution Service in London, and our colleagues, the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in America.
We had cause to meet in London. I was there myself for about a week. We are working not only on the Diezani case; but the Diezani case has become a test case.
It is even more notorious than the so-called Abacha loot because we have not seen anything yet. I’m sure what we have seen is not more than may be 15 per cent. I think it is going to be a long time.
That is why sometimes I think we should appeal to the looters to return the loot. Come and tell the government, ‘This is what I have stolen.’ Since you have voluntarily complied with the instruction to bring back the loot, then the government will take a decision. I think it is the best way to go about it, otherwise, the monies would be wasted.
Diezani has a lot of people who are well connected, like (Jide) Omokore who are international businessmen. They have private aircraft and you can’t see any of them in Nigeria. They went and kept them in Ghana, some of them.
But we are working with almost all law enforcement agencies in the world. They are all willing to work with us because what I told them is, ‘As long as you have any (claim) of criminality in Nigeria, call us.’
We will go after the criminals because we don’t wait for protocol. Delay is dangerous; when you delay you will not see it. So, we are ready to cooperate with everybody and people have shown willingness.
Last time I went to the international convention, they said Nigeria should show it experience. So, the whole world at the United Nations level wants to hear our asset recovery experience.
I sometimes tell people, this rubbish called corruption was caused by my generation. It is our duty to remove it before the next generation, so that the next generation will have a better life.
We are going into massive campaign against corruption. We have seen some good results. People are beginning to change. We want to beg you, let us sustain the momentum. We all have the responsibility to do that.
It is about our people and the future of this country. We should do the right thing and give away our today for the better life of the next generation.
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