$15m Ibori bribe: EFCC lists Ribadu as key witness

The pioneer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been listed as a key witness against a former Governor of Delta State, Mr. James Ibori, who the Federal Government is attempting to repatriate from the United Kingdom, Saturday PUNCH can confirm.

Ribadu had in an affidavit accused Ibori of giving him $15m in 2007 so that the EFCC boss would not initiate a case against him.

After receiving the cash, however, Ribadu entered it into evidence after which it was kept in the vault of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Ribadu had said, “Ibori approached me with $15m to stop his investigation. The money was brought in sacks. I called my people because the money was in big bags, which two people could not carry and we deposited it in the CBN as evidence against him.”

In July 2012, the EFCC approached a Federal High Court in Abuja, requesting for a final order forfeiting the $15m Ibori bribe which had been in the vaults of the CBN for more than five years to the Federal Government as unclaimed proceeds of crime.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole on October 25, 2013, awarded the Federal government ownership of the $15m Ibori bribe which is the subject of legal tussle between the EFCC and the Delta State Government.

Justice Kolawole said that in the final analysis, “the applicant’s application to make a final forfeiture order succeeds and the said sum of $15m is hereby forfeited to the first applicant, that is, the Federal Government who shall take steps to capture it in its earnings of the Federal Government of Nigeria in its 2012/2013 fiscal year and shall administer the funds to address specific needs that will be beneficial to a greater number of the citizenry.”

When asked to react to information available to Saturday PUNCH that the Attorney General of the Federation had listed him among the Federal Government’s list of witnesses against Ibori, Ribadu said, “I am not aware. But if I am asked to testify, I will. But like I told you, nobody has contacted me.”

In a related development, the EFCC is expected to amend the 170 charges brought against Ibori in 2008 in order to avoid a case of double jeopardy.

The charges will be attached to an application for mutual legal assistance which will be sent to the UK government

The ex-governor, who spent four years in a UK prison, was released on Wednesday. Some of his supporters had also kicked against attempts by the Federal Government to arraign him in Nigeria next year, insisting that it would be unjust for him to be tried twice for the same crime.

A source at the EFCC, however, said, “Ibori’s alleged crimes are many. He was convicted on 10 counts of money laundering and conspiracy to defraud.

“He can be charged with offering gratification to a public officer in order to refrain from acting in the exercise of his official duties regarding the investigation of the petition against him. This is not double jeopardy.”

Punch

NSE, EFCC stop N20m capital market fraud

The Nigerian Stock Exchange and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have succeeded in aborting a N20m fraud targeted at the estate of an investor in the market, the late Prof. David Osifo.

The development was contained in a letter by the deceased’s wife, Prof. Bola Osifo, to the NSE, commending the two organisations for helping the family to recover the sum of N20m being her late husband’s investment.

In the letter, she wrote, “On behalf of the Osifo family, we will like to thank the NSE for the dedicated effort in ensuring the stolen shares were reimbursed to my husband’s estate.”

The late professor had equity investment to the tune of N20, 176,852.19 in the capital market but was said to have been illegally appropriated by some fraudsters.

Upon the detection of the crime, the wife of the deceased contacted the NSE.

The Exchange, according to the statement, was said to have swung into action and collaborated with the EFCC to recover the sum in full.

The collaboration between the NSE and the EFCC to prevent and combat abuse and infractions by players in the capital market was said to have yielded fruit.

The NSE in October 4, 2013 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the EFCC to tackle market infractions and abuse. This partnership had successfully opened direct lines of communication and information sharing with the EFCC for reporting and investigations of incidents leading to a more proactive law enforcement and swift recovery of stolen securities.

To further protect investors, the NSE had set up the Investors Protectors Fund to compensate claimants for pecuniary losses suffered by them as a result of wrong doing by certain dealing member firms of the Exchange. The establishment of the IPF is pursuant to Section 197 of the Investment and Securities Act 2007. So far, 158 investors have been compensated

Speaking on the establishment of the IPF, the Chief Executive Officer of the NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, who is also a trustee of the IPF, described it as a milestone.

“This milestone gives me great pleasure as it affirms our commitment to the continuous development of initiatives that will bolster confidence in the capital market,” he said.

Dasuki deceived you, bought useless weapons – Military replies Jonathan

The Military has dismissed claim by the immediate past President, Goodluck Jonathan that his administration purchased some warships and aircraft from the controversial $2.2b arms money.

Jonathan had absolved his former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col Sambo Dasuki(rtd) of allegations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, that he, Dasuki, misappropriated billions of dollars meant for the procurement of arms.

Speaking in the United Kingdom on Monday, the former President said he did not believe that Dasuki stole the money  because weapons were bought for the military under his government.

But reacting to Jonathan’s claim, some military sources are of the view that the immediate past President may have been “deceived” regarding the type of weapons procured, stressing that most of the weapons procured were “unserviceable and useless,” the Nation reports.

The report quoted a source as saying that the Jonathan administration bought three fairly used Alpha Jets for the Nigerian Air Force and two helicopters which were “not worth anything because they were not weaponised and the helicopters were cannibalized.”

According to the source, “The two aircraft are among the four Alpha Jets bought from the United States in 2015 by the immediate past administration to enhance the operational capability of the NAF to combat Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast.

“The aircraft, however, before now, could not be deployed in the theatre of operation due to the inherent weapon delivery deficiency, hence its limited use for training purposes.

“The urgent need in recent times to commit all NAF available platforms to OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE to enhance the success of the counter insurgency operation necessitated the Service to look inward to seek ways of achieving its drive for self reliance through research and development.

“A number of vendors invited to Nigeria to assess the platforms had concluded that it would be difficult or almost impossible to undertake the project since the Original Equipment Manufacturer had long closed down the production line.

“A few others who agreed to the possibility of having the aircraft reconfigured to carry munitions have also submitted proposals for initial assessment fee ranging from $20,000 – $30,000 before they could come up with the actual cost for the project.

“Convinced that the project would work, the NAF consequently assembled a team of technicians to develop a feasible model for the project. The model worked on ground, and has since been mounted on the Alpha Jets, and test flown successfully. This feat is a major research and development breakthrough for the NAF and the nation as a huge foreign exchange saver, given that the project only cost about N4,000,000.00 compared to what would be required to have it done abroad.”

FG set for trial of S’Court Justices, 7 others

The Federal Government is set for the prosecution of two Supreme Court Justices and seven other judges in spite of the memos written by three of them to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed.

The charges against the judges were ready at press time, following the conclusion of investigation by the Department of State Services (DSS).

Also, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has started probing the accounts of six judges of the Federal High Court who are undergoing interrogation.

The anti-graft commission has allegedly discovered payment of bribe sums/financial assistance into the accounts of two of the six judges.

Investigation revealed that the DSS has gathered tons of evidence against the judges.

Those under investigation are two Supreme Court judges namely Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and Inyang Okoro; the suspended Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya, who was picked up in Sokoto; Justice Adeniyi Ademola (Federal High Court); the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice I. A. Umezulike;  Justice Kabiru Auta of Kano State High Court;  Justice Muazu Pindiga (Gombe State High Court);  Justice Bashir Sukola and  Justice Ladan Manir from the Kaduna State High Court.

Of the nine judges, the NJC has recommended sanctions for Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya; the erstwhile Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice I. A. Umezulike; and Justice Kabiru Auta.

A source said: “The Federal Government is going ahead with the trial of the nine judges. The charges and evidence against them are ready. I can tell you that the DSS has conducted diligent investigation.

“Even if you look at the list, only three out of the nine judges have joined issues with some people. But these issues have nothing to do with the overwhelming evidence against them.”

The source added: “The trial will enable Nigerians to know how the sting operations were conducted, the findings of DSS and the charges.

“If a judge alleges that DSS operatives planted money in his residence, did they also lodge cash in his account(s)?”

NBA demands justice

It was further learnt that snippets of the findings were presented to the executives of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) with  the bar deciding that justice must run its full course.

The bar has also asked that the judges being probed should step aside.

“This investigation was tight and it is in the public interest for the trial to begin as soon as possible,” the source said.

The six judges of the Federal High Court who were interrogated during the week and whose accounts are being scrutinised by the EFCC are Justices Mohammed Nasir Yunusa; Hyeladzira Ajiya Nganjiwa; Musa Haruna Kurya; Agbadu James Fishim; Uwani Abba Aji; and Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia.

A source in the anti-graft agency said: “We are looking into the accounts of all the judges so far quizzed by our team, based on petitions and preliminary investigations.

“It is too early to disclose our findings. But the affected judges have made statements in line with the law.”

The National Judicial Council (NJC) had in February sanctioned Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia for misconduct on the bench.

The Council also barred her from elevation to the Court of Appeal or taking any judicial appointment.

A statement by the Acting Director of Information of NJC, Mr. Soji Oye said: “The NJC, under the chairmanship of Justice Mahmud Mohammed, at its meeting on February 24 and 25, 2016 decided to warn Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia and put her on the “watch-list” of the council for the next four years.

“The judge will also not be considered for any elevation to the Court of Appeal or any ad hoc judicial appointment till her retirement from the Bench.

“The decision was sequel to the petition written against her by Victoria Ayeni, alleging misconduct and injustice on the part of Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia for failing to deliver judgment in Suit No FHC/AB/CS/31/2011, a pre-election matter between Victoria A. A. Ayeni and Olusola Sonuga and two Ors.

“She was also alleged to have adjourned the pre-election matter severally until the termination of the life span of the Ogun State House of Assembly. The decision of the Council on Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia is with immediate effect.”

Two of the six judges were alleged to have received over N2.75 million bribe from two senior lawyers Rickey Tarfa (SAN) and Joseph Nwobike (SAN).

The EFCC had on March 9, 2016 arraigned Tarfa and Nwobike before Lagos High Court on allegations of bribery and offering gratification to a public official.

“Nwobike and Tarfa are facing criminal prosecution for allegedly offering gratification to Federal High Court judges to restrain them from exercising the duties of their office.

“Subsequent investigation revealed that the two Judges allegedly received sums of money from the two senior lawyers severally.”

Judge apologises to convict

Meanwhile, a judge of the Federal High Court was alleged to have sneaked into Kuje Prison in the Federal Capital Territory to apologise to an inmate for wrongful conviction.

A reliable source said: “The judge disguised and went to the prison yard on September 13. The convict was jailed for being in possession of cocaine.

“But the Federal High Court judge met with the convict and expressed regrets for wrongful conviction.

“He said he knew that the convict was a victim of a set up and his conscience was troubling him.

“He offered to assist the convict in whatever manner to make his stay in prison comfortable.

“But security agencies have picked up the visit of the judge and they have started investigating it.”

1, 022 people have fake letters of appointment in Gombe – EFCC

No fewer than 1,022 people are in possession of fake letters of employment across the 11 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Gombe State.
Aminu Aliyu, Head of Operations, Gombe Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), made this known to newsmen in Gombe on Thursday.
Aliyu explained that the agency unraveled the scam during verification of appointments.
“The state government solicited our participation which we gladly obliged. Our officers discovered that 1, 022 people were issued fake letters of appointment across all the local government areas of Gombe state’’, he said.
The EFCC official said that each candidate involved paid between N120, 000 and N150, 000, depending on the ministry of choice. “This amounts to N13.162 million,” he said.
According to him, 16 people arrested in connection to the crime will soon be arraigned.
“Those arrested and interrogated will soon be prosecuted, while four business centres involved in production of fake documents had been sealed’’, he said.
Aliyu also said that EFCC recovered N968, 000 from a wonder bank operating without license in Gombe.
Meanwhile, the North-West zone EFCC has recovered at least N54, 535,651,183.74 and another $622,200.00 (N190.1m) within the last 10 months.

How I made $15m – Patience Jonathan

 

Wife of former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience Jonathan, has explained in details how she accumulated in 15 years  $15million in several bank accounts linked to her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The explanation was given in court papers  filed by a group that has sued  Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP)  on her behalf.

SERAP had filed a suit in court to compel the attorney-general of the Federation to take a legal action against Mrs. Jonathan.

Union of Niger Delta Youth Organisation for Equity, Justice and Good Governance suing for themselves and on behalf of Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan filed a suit number FHC/L/CS/1349/2016 before a Federal High Court in Lagos,  alleging  “campaign of calumny  by SERAP against her.

The funds in question were legitimate gifts from her friends and well-wishers over the last 15 years which she had been saving in order to utilise to upgrade family businesses and concerns which had been somewhat dormant by reason of the long period of her husband service as a public officer in Nigeria.”
“The gifts were given in small contributions by several persons some of whom she cannot even now recall over this period of 15 years sometimes in as small a gift as N250,000. In order to preserve the value of these funds which she did not require for any purpose at the time she changed them into foreign exchange and kept them as cash for a long period in her home safe in Port Harcourt and Abuja.”

“It was when the family home in Otuoke was burnt down by hoodlums under the instigation of political adversaries in 2010 that she began to think about banking these gifts which had now grown to large sums in United States Dollars. In 2010 she therefore summoned one of her husband’s domestic aides, Waripamo-Owei Emmanuel Dudafa to assist her in opening bank accounts into which the funds could be deposited.”

“Unknown to her the said Dudafa in a bid to be discreet about the owner of the funds decided to bank the funds in the names of companies owned by him. When she discovered this she was constrained to continue with the names of the companies when she was advised that it did not make any difference as to the ownership of the funds since the director of the company would appoint her as sole signatory to the accounts in question.”
“When in 2016 Dudafa was arrested and detained she had no fear for the funds as she realised that the funds could not be attributable to him once it was discovered that she was the sole signatory to the said accounts. It was therefore a rude shock to her when she discovered that a no transaction order had been placed on the accounts by the EFCC in the belief that the funds belonged to Dudafa.”

“She instructed her solicitors to further write to the EFCC to inform them that the funds belong to her and that they formed a part of her legitimate earnings over the last 15 years. It was this letter that was leaked by the EFCC to the media that became sensationalised and led to the plaintiff’s vilification and attack by ignorant persons who had no information about the matter.”
“SERAP is playing to the public gallery in order to gain the notoriety it has achieved over the past years. SERAP has done this mostly by intervening in high profile issues without regard to the rights of persons it claims to protect. SERAP jumped into the fray of ignorant accusations being made against Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan in the public media and has begun a campaign of calumny against her using online, print and electronic media to publish to the public unfounded and malicious allegations that she stole the funds in question and ought to be prosecuted.”

The suit accuses SERAP  of  using online, print and electronic media to publish to the public unfounded and malicious allegations that she stole $15m (US) and ought to be prosecuted.

SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni said the organisation received Patience Jonathan’s  court papers dated 6th October 2016 from a bailiff on Tuesday.

Mumuni said,

“SERAP categorically rejects these misleading and entirely unfounded accusations against us by Mrs Patience Jonathan and her group, and we will vigorously oppose the suit in court. SERAP will never, in the discharge of its mandates, succumb to any intimidation, harassment and attacks in any way, shape or form. We are now consulting with our lawyers and will be preparing shortly our defence in court.”
“At no time did SERAP suggest or even hint that Mrs Jonathan was guilty of the allegations against her. On the contrary, what SERAP has said is that the fact that the $15m found in the four accounts belong to Mrs Jonathan raises serious suspicion or at the very least a prima-facie case of unexplained wealth/illicit enrichment, and imposes an obligation on Mrs Jonathan to explain and justify the source(s) of the $15m.”

The Nigerian Tribune

Leave my family alone, Fani-Kayode tells EFCC

A former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Federal Government to leave his family alone and face him.

Fani-Kayode said this in reaction to the detention of his wife, Precious, at a bank in Ado Ekiti for hours on the instruction of the EFCC.

Fani-Kayode, who is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, condemned the move in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents.

He said, “This government is sick and cowardly and so is the EFCC. If you have a problem with me, face me and leave my family alone.

“My wife travelled to Ado Ekiti to see my friend and brother, Governor Fayose, and his family. They were on their way out of town when they went to Access Bank in Ado Ekiti to get some money.

“They were illegally detained, brutalised and put under arrest on the orders of the EFCC at a bank in Ado Ekiti today.

“She has never had any business with me; she has never been formally invited by the EFCC or asked any questions about her transactions and neither has it written to her on any issue even though it is always sending letters to my house and sending people there.

“If Buhari wants to deal with me, why doesn’t he face me like a man instead of trying to harm and hurt my eight-month-old son and wife.

“Had it not been for the intervention of Governor Ayo Fayose, they would have taken them away and subjected them to all manner of harm and indignity simply because she is married to me.

“This is Buhari’s Nigeria and we will resist his wickedness and tyranny.”
Fani-Kayode said he intended to sue the bank and the EFCC for this “illegal and wicked action.”

He added, “They have no right to do this. If they want to see my wife, all they need to do is to invite her. We have nothing to fear. They do not need to be so primitive and barbaric to people.

“In an attempt to starve and harass me and my family, all my accounts and wife’s accounts have been frozen.

“Now, they are resorting to arresting people’s wives and children for no just cause.”
Mrs. Fani-Kayode, who was a guest of Governor Ayodele Fayose, had gone to a branch of Access Bank in Ado Ekiti around 3pm for a transaction, but was detained by officials of the bank.

The bank officials told her she was being held on the instructions of the EFCC.
The EFCC, however, denied detaining her.

In a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, on Monday night, the anti-graft agency said the ex-minister’s wife attempted to withdraw money from an account which the agency had frozen.

The statement read in part, “Contrary to the spin about the purported arrest of mother and child, a certain Chikwendu Sonia today attempted to withdraw money from an Access Bank account that had been placed on ‘Post No Debit’ Category, following the discovery of illicit cash flows into the account.

“She was intercepted by the bank while the commission was notified, but because it was late, the EFCC advised that the suspect be taken to the police station for processing and release on bail.

“They were arranging to take the suspect to the police station when Governor Ayo Fayose stormed the bank with thugs and his personal security and forcefully secured the release of the suspect, with claims that the EFCC had no power to detain anybody in his state. He also vowed to close down the branch of the bank.

“The said account, which had a balance of N2,307,712.82, was flagged following investigation into the PDP Joint Trust Fund when the commission traced N1.1bn to the Zenith Bank account of Fani-Kayode.

“It was discovered that the account had two biometric identification numbers, one for Fani-Kayode and the other (with BVN 2205597283) for Sonia Chikwendu. The same BVN is linked to two other accounts in Diamond Bank and 15 accounts in Guaranty Trust Bank.”

Drama as Fayose forces EFCC to release Fani-Kayode’s wife

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday detained Mrs. Precious Fani-Kayode, who is the wife of a former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, in Ado Ekiti for hours.

Precious, who was a guest of Governor Ayodele Fayose, had gone to a branch of Access Bank in Ado Ekiti around 3pm when she was detained by officials of the bank.

Sensing that she was not being promptly attended to, she inquired from officials what the problem was and was told she was being detained on the instructions of the EFCC.

Precious, who had her eight-month-old baby with her at the time, was prevented from leaving the banking hall thereafter.

It took the intervention of Fayose, who led scores of supporters to the bank around 7pm to secure her release.

Speaking with our correspondent after the incident, Mrs. Fani-Kayode lamented that she was badly treated by the officials while her baby was denied food.

She stated, “I’m not a politician and that account had been dormant for about five years. I only activated it last month in Port Harcourt.

“I decided to go to Access Bank to make some withdrawals when I was detained on the instructions of the EFCC.

“They told me the account had been frozen and they were asked by the EFCC to arrest me on the spot.

“I have been operating the account since 2005 when I was a student in the university. They had earlier frozen my two bank accounts which they have not opened till today and I have been waiting for them to invite me, but up till today, they have not.

“The balance in the account is just N200,000; so, I don’t know what their interest is. I’m a private person. I have not received any political fund; so, why are they trying to starve my family?

“That account has nothing to do with politics. This is dehumanising. I had to call the governor to inform him of the development.”

Condemning the action of the EFCC and the attitude of the bank officials, Fayose warned the anti-graft agency against becoming lawless and reckless against Nigerians.

He asked the commission to prepare for a stiff resistance if it did not stop “persecuting” him and his friends.

Fayose added, “They can’t try that nonsense in my state. If they try it, there will be a showdown. They are over-stepping their boundary. This is a country that operates a constitution. What kind of molestation is this, taking away the rights of Nigerians because you are investigating?

“Must they terrorise people because they are in opposition? I have demanded an apology from the bank. If it fails to do that, I’m done with them. This is lawlessness.”

In a telephone interview with our correspondent, Femi Fani-Kayode, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, urged the government to leave his family members alone and face him.

Fani-Kayode stated, “This government is sick and cowardly and so is the EFCC. If you have a problem with me, face me and leave my family alone.

“My wife travelled to Ado Ekiti to see my friend and brother, Governor Fayose, and his family. They were on their way out of town when they went to Access Bank in Ado Ekiti to get some money.

“They were illegally detained, brutalised and put under arrest on the orders of the EFCC at a bank in Ado Ekiti today.

“She has never had any business with me; she has never been formally invited by the EFCC or asked any questions about her transactions and neither has it written to her on any issue even though it is always sending letters to my house and sending people there.

“If Buhari wants to deal with me, why doesn’t he face me like a man instead of trying to harm and hurt my eight-month-old son and wife.

“Had it not been for the intervention of Governor Ayo Fayose, they would have taken them away and subjected them to all manner of harm and indignity simply because she is married to me.

“This is Buhari’s Nigeria and we will resist his wickedness and tyranny.”

Fani-Kayode said he intended to sue the bank and the EFCC for this “illegal and wicked action.”

He added, “They have no right to do this. If they want to see my wife, all they need to do is to invite her. We have nothing to fear. They do not need to be so primitive and barbaric to people.

“In an attempt to starve and harass me and my family, all my accounts and wife’s accounts have been frozen.

“Now, they are resorting to arresting people’s wives and children for no just cause.”

In its reaction, the EFCC denied detaining Fani-Kayode’s wife and the son.

In a statement by the commission’s spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, on Monday night, the anti-graft agency said the ex-minister’s wife attempted to withdraw money from an account which the agency had frozen.

The statement read in part, “Contrary to the spin about the purported arrest of mother and child, a certain Chikwendu Sonia today attempted to withdraw money from an Access Bank account that had been placed on ‘Post No Debit’ Category, following the discovery of illicit cash flows into the account.

“She was intercepted by the bank while the commission was notified, but because it was late, the EFCC advised that the suspect be taken to the police station for processing and release on bail.

“They were arranging to take the suspect to the police station when Governor Ayo Fayose stormed the bank with thugs and his personal security and forcefully secured the release of the suspect, with claims that the EFCC had no power to detain anybody in his state. He also vowed to close down the branch of the bank.

“The said account, which had a balance of N2,307,712.82, was flagged following investigation into the PDP Joint Trust Fund when the commission traced N1.1bn to the Zenith Bank account of Fani-Kayode.

“It was discovered that the account had two biometric identification numbers, one for Fani-Kayode and the other (with BVN 2205597283) for Sonia Chikwendu. The same BVN is linked to two other accounts in Diamond Bank and 15 accounts in Guaranty Trust Bank.”

Ijaw Youths say EFCC harassing Patience Jonathan, ignoring wives of Abacha, Yar’Adua

Ijaw youths on Thursday accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of carrying out a planned witch-hunt against former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience.
The EFCC, a few days ago, freezed accounts traced to Patience Jonathan in Skye Bank.
The youths under the aegis of the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Worldwide, said that Jonathan’s wife like most former First Ladies made her money from gifts and gratifications, insisting that there was no law against such gestures.
Speaking in Yenagoa, the President of IYC, Mr. Udens Eradiri, stated that: “First Ladies in Nigeria do not do any work. A woman naturally attracts a lot of gifts from men let alone a First Lady who has the power to recommend you for something.
“They receive a lot of thank you and gratifications because most cases they recommend people who come back to thank them. Even when they do not recommend, people go and say good morning with a million dollar. It did not start with Patience Jonathan.
“We know how influential the former First Lady of this country and other First Ladies were. We know how powerful, rich and wealthy they are and the property they acquired as a result of gratification.
“If you say Patience should show how she made her money, you must start with all the First Ladies, otherwise, it is a witch-hunt. Patience Jonathan got her wealth from thank you and there is nowhere in the law that says we should not receive thank you.
“So, EFCC should stop this nonsense. If you have issues, go and follow the due process and don’t begin to use the media to tarnish the image of the former first family”.
“Jonathan should be respected in Nigeria. You heard what happened during the time of late President Yar’Adua, Jonathan did not witch-hunt that family irrespective of the humiliation he suffered despite the position of the law.
“This is a witch-hunt and the EFCC must stop this attitude because very soon, people will begin to resist them. Nigerians will get to the point where they will no longer accept it.
“We support the fight against corruption. All of us know that corruption has eaten deep into our fabric, but this selective fight especially geared towards the region must not be allowed”, Eradir said.
He lamented that despite the corruption traced to the former late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha and his family, the government still approved a university for his wife.
“It is in this country that they talked about Abacha’s loot, yet a university had been approved for Abacha’s wife. In this same country where they said Abacha was corrupt. So, why are you treating one former first family differently and then everybody wants to humiliate Jonathan’s family in the best of their ability.
“The former First Lady, Patience, has no question to answer. The EFCC is destroying Buhari’s anti-graft policy because when your anti-graft is beginning to show it is one-sided, it will lose credibility,” he said.
The IYC boss further asked the EFCC to to return about N23bn, $100million and other assets it seized from the former Governor of the state, late Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.
“Bayelsa State funds are in their hands, they have not returned it. Why are they keeping the funds? Are they meant to keep funds that they recovered. Why is the money not being paid into TSA if EFCC believes they are proceeds of corruption. They should return our money. Those are the issues they should focus on”, he said.

“I thought that the EFCC by now will begin to face squarely its job of ensuring that criminals are brought to book and not the media charade that is usually its modus operandi.
“They have not learnt from the Tompolo incident. Instead of focusing on facts and doing their jobs via due process, they quickly went to the media and that incident led this country to where we are today.”

EFCC declares ex-governor wanted for alleged N76bn fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared wanted the immediate past Governor of Katsina State, Mr. Ibrahim Shema, over an alleged N76bn fraud.

It was learnt that the EFCC declared him wanted sequel to allegations levelled against him by his successor, Governor Aminu Masari.

In a gazette signed by the spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, the anti-graft agency said Shema had ignored all invitations by the EFCC.

The gazette read in part, “The public is hereby notified that Ibrahim Shema, a former Governor of Kastina State, is wanted by the EFCC in connection with a case of criminal conspiracy, inflation of contracts, abuse of office, diversion of funds and embezzlement, running into billions of naira.

“The former governor ignored several invitations by the commission since December 1, 2015, when he was first summoned by the agency. All efforts to locate him at his known addresses in Katsina and Abuja were futile.

“The 59-year-old ex-governor hails from the Dutsena-ma Local Government Area of Katsina State. He is tall, light in complexion and speaks Hausa and English fluently. Anybody, having useful information as to his whereabouts, should contact the commission.”

Masari had expressed dissatisfaction with the handover note presented to him by his predecessor, prompting him to set up a probe panel into the administration of Shema.

Masari had said he had “concrete evidence” to drag his predecessor before the anti-graft agency to recover all stolen funds.

According to Masari, there are some mistakes that can be forgiven, “but N70bn is a huge amount of money that we cannot overlook.”

The governor promised that all stolen public money would be retrieved to correct past mistakes and bring sanity into the public service.

He alleged that the former governor misappropriated over N76bn collected as excess crude oil allocation and diverted over N7.5bn into his private pocket.

Masari also alleged that Shema and other top government officials of the Ministry of Local Government Affairs diverted over N750m earmarked for the purchase of drugs for ther state’s local governments.

The Katsina State governor added that his administration was aware of a campaign of calumny sponsored by his predecessor in the media to frustrate him from going ahead with the probe and retrieving stolen funds.

He alleged that more than N1.8bn was paid by the former governor to proprietors of some newspapers for the job.

In his response, Shema said in a letter written by his lawyers, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and Co, that there was an “unwarranted and unexpected campaign of calumny being waged against the ex-governor coupled with a deliberate attempt to blackmail, denigrate and vilify Shema and his aides.

He described as blatant lies, nauseating and malicious the claims that the “Ibrahim Shema-led administration incurred and left the state with a debt of N42bn upon the expiration of its term; that the administration incurred a foreign debt portfolio of $78m and that a sum of N13bn got missing between January and May 2015.”

The former governor also debunked allegations that a sum of N7bn was dubiously transferred to the account of the state chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria and same was recklessly used by the said association.

Former First Lady Patience Jonathan claims $15m Frozen in her bank accounts are for medical bills, personal expenses

Former first lady, Patience Jonathan, has written a letter to the EFCC explaining how $15 million entered her account. In a letter with reference number GA/Abibo/00226/2016, written by her lawyers, Granville Abibo (SAN) and Co, and addressed to the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, the former first lady said the $15 million which has been seized by the antigraft agency, was for her medical bills and other personal expenses, according to Sahara Reporters...

"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 in the letter stated that the operatives of the antigraft agency have refused to acknowledge her explanation

“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.”the letter said

Patience Jonathan during her husband's time in office had seven surgeries within a month for an undisclosed ailment in Germany. During a thanksgiving service in February 2013, she revealed that she lost consciousness for ‎a week during one of her surgeries.

Patience Jonathan’s cash: Houseboy, driver’s names used to open $15m accounts

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested four domestic servants, including a driver and a houseboy, whose names were used to open bank accounts for Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan, the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Sources within the anti-graft agency said on Sunday that the companies’ accounts were opened at Skye Bank.

The companies are 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.

The four companies’ accounts, which have since been frozen by the EFCC, have a balance of about $15m while another account, which bears Patience Jonathan’s name, has $5m.

Mr. Sammie Somiari, who deposed to an affidavit on behalf of the ex-President’s wife, said the former First Lady was the owner of the money in the accounts.

She had revealed that she gave millions of dollars to the then Special Adviser to the President on Domestic Affairs, Waripamowei Dudafa, to open accounts for her.

Somiari, however, claimed that Dudafa opened five accounts for Patience and that only one of the accounts was in her name, while the other four were opened in the names of companies belonging to Dudafa.

A detective at the EFCC, however, revealed that Dudafa used his domestic servants’ names to open the four other accounts and then deposited the money into the accounts.

The operative added, “We were investigating Dudafa when we stumbled on those four companies’ domiciliary accounts opened at Skye Bank with a balance of about $15m. On further investigation, we were able to identify the directors of the companies.

“When we detained the directors, we found out that they were Dudafa’s domestic servants. One of them was a houseboy while another one was a driver. Their photographs were used in opening the accounts and their signatures were forged.

“We found out that these domestic servants were completely innocent because they had no access to the accounts. We have since released them. The sole signatory to the accounts was Patience Jonathan and she was issued with a special card, which is accepted worldwide. She has a separate account, which was opened in her name and has a balance of $5m.”

The detective said a lawyer, Amajuoyi Briggs, who allegedly helped Dudafa to perpetrate the fraud, would also be arraigned.

It was learnt that two Skye Bank executives, Demola Bolodeoku and Dipo Oshodi, who helped Dudafa to open the accounts on March 22, 2010, were also being investigated.

The detective added, “This is a clear case of fraud and there is no way the bank officials will say they did not know what was going on. They are under investigation and those found culpable will be arraigned.”

The EFCC operative said he could not immediately confirm if the transaction was reported to the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit.

He explained that the commission had discovered a trend which politicians used in laundering and concealing funds, saying it was becoming more rampant due to the operation of the Bank Verification Number which links all accounts owned by an individual.

He added, “What we have noticed is that in order to conceal funds, what politicians and top civil servants do is to open bank accounts in the name of family or friends and then make themselves the sole signatory to the account.

“Don’t forget that we traced about 17 bank accounts to the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.).

“Often times, they do this in connivance with bank officials and that is why the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has said henceforth, whenever we are investigating a bank official, we will probe the entire bank as well because these officials usually act under the instruction of their superiors.”

Jonathan’s wife has, however, sued Skye Bank for freezing her bank accounts and giving the EFCC vital information about her finances.

She also wants the court to order Skye Bank to pay her damages in the sum of N200m for what she termed a violation of her right to own personal properties under Section 44 of the 1999 Constitution.

(PUNCH)

Benue’s N107bn: Court freezes suspects’ bank accounts

 

The Benue State Attorney general and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Mike Gusa, on Thursday said that an  Abuja Chief Magistrate  Court had ordered immediate freezing of the bank accounts of 12 former Benue officials recently arrested by EFCC in conjunction with Nigeria police.

Gusa, who spoke with our correspondent, said those whose accounts were frozen include the former Benue State Commissioner of Finance, Omadachi Oklobia; former Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Solomon Wombo; former Permanent Secretary in the Bureau, Asen Sambe; the accountant of the bureau, Isaiah Ipevnor; and 12 others indicted by the Kpojime Commission of Inquiry for allegedly looting over N107bn belonging to state government.

Gusa said the court gave the order while ruling on an exparte motion brought before it by Police detectives who are investigating the matter.

According to Gusa, ”Since these people were arrested and investigation is still going on, the Police decided to obtain order from court to put every transaction around their accounts on hold, pending when investigation would be completed”.

The commissioner said the order has been served on all affected banks and was optimistic that Benue State Government would follow due process in the recovery of the alleged looted funds.

The Attorney General disclosed that, so far, over N250m have been recovered from the suspects, saying the state government in collaboration with anti graft agencies is making efforts to recover the remaining money.

EFCC arrests man who wedded and duped his wife of N6.7m

Report says that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has arrested one Chike Nnaemeka, for allegedly tricking an official of the Federal Road Safety Corps into marrying him and paying for the wedding.

Nnaemeka, aka Dr. Justified, was said to have duped his victim, Nkechi Ani, of N6.7m.

The EFCC, in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said Nnaemeka, who claimed to be a gynaecologist, allegedly collected the sum under different requests. The victim was reportedly introduced to him by one of her classmates at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State.

The suspect was also said to have tricked Ani into marrying him and they were joined in a traditional wedding on June 6, 2015, without informing her that he was married with three children.

In her petition, the complainant said, ‘‘During the wedding preparation, Justified brought up so many stories bordering on cultural issues that I or anyone from my family is not supposed to visit his home town until after my marriage. He also said that the tradition of his place as a lone prince demanded that I sponsored every financial aspect of the traditional marriage, but that he would refund me to the last one naira I spent.”

According to the commission, the suspect continued to deceive his victim and even claimed to have property that both Zenith Bank Plc and Diamond Bank Plc were purportedly interested in buying.

The suspect was said to have shown the complainant some documents of the property, and requested her to raise some money to enable him to complete the process.

The complainant allegedly transferred some amounts to the suspect, after being assured that he would refund her.

But on December 23, 2015, the suspect allegedly left the house on the pretext that he was going to sign the agreement papers with the banks to finalise the transaction.  Ani  also alleged that the suspect stole the sum of $3000 belonging to her boss.

“Meanwhile, investigation has revealed that the suspect, who is married to another woman who had three children for him, also lied that his mother passed on some years back. The suspect will soon be charged to court, after investigation is concluded,” the statement added.

EFCC to arraign Jonathan’s ex-aide, lawyer for $15.6m

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday filed a 17-count of alleged $15.6m fraud against a former aide of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, before a Federal High Court in Lagos.

Also listed as defendants in the charge, filed before Justice Abdulazeez Anka, is a legal practitioner, Amajuoyi Briggs, and one Demola Bolodeoku.

The EFCC is seeking to arraigned 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.

The 17 counts pressed against Dudafa, who was then Special Assistant to Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, and others bordered on conspiracy and money laundering.

The EFCC accused them of conspiring among themselves to conceal various sums of money totaling $15.6m, which the anti-grant agency claimed the defendants “ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act.”

The EFCC alleged that the defendants committed the offence between November 13, 2013 and May 28, 2015 in connivance with one Sombre Omeibi, now at large, using seven accounts domiciled with Skye Bank Plc.

The offences, the EFCC, prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, said were contrary to section 18(a) and 15(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012, and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

However, the proposed arraignment of the defendants on Thursday could not hold as Oyedepo said Dudafa and the companies had yet to be served.

He informed the court that Dudafa had refused to accept the charge sheet on August 12 when the EFCC attempted to serve him in the prison custody.

He urged the court to grant him an order to properly serve the charge sheet on the accused.

He also urged the court to order the second defendant, Brigg, to accept service on behalf of the five companies, which he claimed were incorporated by the lawyer but with fictitious addresses.

He told the judge that Brigg had stated in the statement he made to the EFCC that he was the one who incorporated the companies and he was their appointed secretary.

He said, “The first defendant is a private individual, and under Section 123 of the ACJA, we are to serve him personally. We went to the prison on August 12, 2016, to serve him the charge but he refused service.

“We have charged him in a related case before Justice (Mohammed) Idris, though he was granted bail but an issue cropped up.

“I also need court order on the service of the fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth defendants; the companies were opportune to know who and who is their directors.

“In the course of investigation, we came to know that the chambers of the second defendant incorporated those companies, and in his wisdom, he inserted the addresses that are not available.

“I urged the court to allow us to serve the charge of the companies on the second accused person, being the brain behind them.”

But Brigg’s lawyer, T. J. Onyeieke, opposed Oyedepo’s prayer that his client should accept service on behalf of the companies, contending that Brigg was not a director in any of the companies.

Besides, he said Oyedepo could not make such an application orally and urged the court to turn the prayer down.

In a short ruling, Justice Anka granted the prosecution an order to serve the charge sheet on Dudafa in the prison custody.

He, however, adjourned till September 8, 2016, to rule on Oyedepo’s application to serve the companies through Brigg.