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Tag: Bribe

  • [Photos] Naval rating beats tanker driver to stupor for offering N200 out of N15000 bribe

    A tanker driver, simply identified as Adekola was in the early hours of Saturday (today) beaten to stupor by a naval official for giving him (the naval rating) N200.00 out of the requested N15,000:00 bribe.

    Adekola, who confirmed the incident in an interview with TNG said the incident happened at about 12 am on Saturday. He said he was accosted by the naval rating and was asked to pay a N15,000:00 bribe which he couldn’t afford at the time.

    This infuriated the naval rating who later descended heavily on the driver.

    “I was driving towards MTN Service Center Along Oshodi Apapa Expressway this morning when a naval official stopped me. He demanded N15,000:00 which to me was illegal and outrageous.

    What I had left on me was just a N200.00 note which I offered to give him. He immediately dragged me out of the vehicle and started beating me mercilessly. It was dark and there was no one to call to for help. I’m not sure I’ll be able to see well again with the way he punctured my eyes.

    The few people around shouted from a distance that I should start the vehicle and zoom off before he shoots at me’, Adekola said.

    Adekola was later rushed to the hospital for proper treatment.

    Officials of the Petrol Tankers Drivers Association also confirmed the incident to TNG and called on government to save them from harassment of some overzealous law enforcement agents who requested illegal monies from them at almost all the junctions and checking points.

    “He (referring to Adekola) was almost beaten to death in the middle of the night for refusing to pay an illegal fee. That is how they collect it from truck drivers. We had to rush him to the hospital this morning. If we drive in the day time, they say we are causing accidents. Now that we are driven at midnight, Navy wants to kill us again’, an official of the PTD told TNG in a telephone interview on Saturday.

    However, efforts by TNG to reach the spokesperson of the Nigerian Navy for comments was unsuccessful as at the time of filing this report.

  • 17bn bribe: Lawmakers defend 7th assembly, tackle Okonjo-Iweala

    17bn bribe: Lawmakers defend 7th assembly, tackle Okonjo-Iweala

    Some of the lawmakers who held leadership positions during the 7th assembly have denied allegation that they took bribe [17 billion naira] as claimed by a former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, alleged in her book.

    Okonjo-Iweala, in her book, Fighting Corruption is Dangerous: The Story Behind the Headlines, revealed the blackmail and arm-twisting that characterised budget passage by the National Assembly during the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

    She cited an instance in 2015 when the National Assembly leadership forced the executive arm to part with N17bn for the federal lawmakers before passing that year’s budget.

    That, she said, was at a time crude price had fallen drastically.

    The N17bn alleged bribe, according to Okonjo-Iweala, was besides the National Assembly’s N150bn annual “standard” budget.

    Speaking on the issue, Majority Leader of the House of Representative, Femi Gbajabiamila, who was the minority leader in the 7th Assembly admitted that lawmakers had a running battle with Okonjo-Iweala and her aides over the budget because they fused in their own projects to the detriment of some lawmakers.

    He explained that aside from the minister’s projects, her aides, who wanted to contest seats in the National Assembly, also loaded the budget with their own projects.

    The lawmaker recalled that this was a sour point in the relationship between the former minister and members.

    Gbajabiamila added that the “unfair” arrangement, made lawmakers to demand that many projects be sited in their constituencies as well, being the elected representatives of the people.

    The majority leader said it was wrong of the former minister to tag it a bribe.

    “However, my hunch is that being an election year, members might have wanted several projects sited in their constituencies so that they could have something to campaign on.

    “It is wrong to portray that members were given money for passage of the budget.”

    Also, the spokesperson for the Senate in the 7th Assembly, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, said the alleged addition of N17bn could be an addition to the National Assembly budget, which should not be misconstrued as a bribe.

    He said, “I don’t think the former finance minister meant that the money was a bribe. I think it is the media that are insinuating that she bribed the lawmakers.

    “She said the Federal Government gave extra funding to the National Assembly. The media should look at the National Assembly budget for that year and see whether it was above N150bn before making insinuations.”

    The Media Adviser to the former Minister of Finance, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, could not be reached for comments as calls to his mobiles indicated they were switched off, while a text message sent to him had yet to be responded to as of the time of filling this report.

    In his reaction, another member of the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, said he was not aware of the alleged N17bn bribe.

    He said, “As the chairman of House Committee on Finance during the period in question, I was never part of a meeting where such decision was made. I am not aware of any N17bn naira introduced in the 2014 budget for election expenses for members and I did not benefit from such money if at all it ever existed.

    “It is absolutely unfair of the former minister of finance to make such grievous allegation in a blanket manner. She should have named those that participated at the said meeting and received the money.”

  • LASU-ASUU demands probe of N5m bribe

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Lagos State University Chapter, has called for a probe into a N5million fraud allegedly committed by a senior official to facilitate processing of results by the university’s Senate.

    ASUU wants the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, to investigate the N5 million allegedly collected by a former Assistant Director, School of Part-time Studies.

    In a petition with reference no. LASU/GS/16/268 and dated March 26, the academic staff members are asking the authorities to launch an investigation into the matter without further delay.

    The union alleged that the N5million was collected by the former Director from the Vice-Chairman of the then Anthony Campus of the institution.

    According to ASUU, a panel under the Chairmanship of Prof. Murtada Muhibbu-Din was set up under the administration of a former Vice-Chancellor, Prof. L.A. Hussein in 2005 to probe the activities of the part-time school and had submitted its findings.

    “The Vice-Chairman of the Anthony Campus, Mr C. Ochonogor, during the visit of the panel on May 10, 2006 had alleged that Dr Abanikannda as the Assistant Director of the campus made a lot of financial demands to do one thing or the other.

    “Ochonogor unequivocally mentioned the case of N5 million collected in cash by Dr Abanikannda to give to the LASU Senate to facilitate the consideration and approval of results.

    “Eventually, the results were not presented to the Senate and the money was not refunded.

    “The Vice-Chairman, for emphasis, told the panel that the Anthony Campus had three sets of final year students who could not graduate even after the collection of the N5million,’’ the union said.

    According to ASUU-LASU, the former Assistant Director in question had admitted collecting the said sum in cash during an interrogation from the panel and the panel recommended that he should refund the sum.

    It insisted that such demand for money to facilitate the Senate’s processing of students results was against the university’s rules as it is the statutory duty of the Senate to do so.

    “We urge Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Fagbohun, while being passionate on clearing backlog of misappropriation cases of such to use his good offices for proper investigation and conclusion of the case.

    “This is because members of the university community continue to refer to this matter at every instance when staff members are disciplined,’’ ASUU said in the petition a copy of which was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    Reacting, the university’s spokesman, Mr Adekoya Martins, confirmed the receipt of the petition by the management.

    Martins said the issue happened long before the present administration and might have been disposed of by the university council.

    He said that a critical examination of the petition showed that the case had gone through one sub-committee to another before it reached the council.

    LASU Governing Council had on Sept. 8, 2017 approved the dismissal of ASUU-LASU Chiarman, Dr Isaac Oyewunmi, his Deputy, Dr Adebowale Adeyemi-Suenu and 15 others.

    It also dismissed two other non-academic staff over what it called misconduct and malpractice.

    According to the university council, Oyewunmi was dismissed over alleged demand for the sum of N50, 000 for 2003 modular year students of political science education of the sandwich programme to process their results.

    The council claimed Adeyemi-Suenu unilaterally altered the results of 12 students already advised to withdraw by the Senate in the Department of History and International studies in the 2015/2016 academic session.

    Others were accused of defaulting on the conditions precedent on their training leave bond and abandonment of duty.

    NAN

  • How Agumogobia, Obla created shady company to collect bribe from lawyer – EFCC

    A detective with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, identified as Lawal Abdullahi, on Friday in Lagos revealed how Godwin Obla, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia allegedly perverted the course of justice.

    Mr. Abdullahi alleged before an Ikeja High Court that Mr. Obla gave the Federal High Court judge N5 million gratification to pervert the course of justice in a Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, case.

    He made the allegations while being led in evidence by Rotimi Oyedepo, the EFCC prosecutor.

    “The second defendant (Obla) was an external prosecutor to the EFCC, he was assigned to handle a matter between the commission and a former Director General of NIMASA, Raymond Omatseye, who was facing criminal charges for financial crimes.

    “The matter was before the first defendant (Ofili-Ajumogobia) at the Federal High Court, our investigation revealed that when the case was pending before the first defendant, there was communication between them.

    “The communication was without the knowledge of the opposing party, they are friends and had also been meeting without the knowledge of the opposing party.

    “He failed to notify the Commission of this relationship and this may have caused conflict of interest in the case.

    “During the course of investigation, it was discovered that there was an exchange of account numbers between the defendants when the NIMASA case was before the first defendant.

    “The sum of N5 million was transferred by the second defendant to the judge’s account called Nigel and Colive in Diamond Bank,” he said.

    Mr. Abdullahi noted in his testimony that it was necessary for Mr. Obla to have informed the EFCC of his relationship with the judge because there would have been a conflict of interest in the case.

    “Obla met Ofili-Ajumogobia in her chambers and the account number of Nigel and Colive was given to him in which N5 million was paid from the account of Obla and Co, the lawyer’s office account in UBA.

    “He admitted in his statement that he met the first defendant sometime in April or May 2015 and as at that time, the NIMASA matter was not concluded in court.

    “In May 2016, judgment was passed by the first defendant, the suspect was convicted but that judgment was set aside by the Court of Appeal on May 11, 2017.

    “The judge’s daughter, Aribim Ajumogobia, was also during this period employed by NIMASA.”

    The investigator revealed that when the anti-graft agency confronted the.defendants with evidence of the bank transactions, they gave different accounts of why the money was given to the judge.

    “Ofili-Ajumogobia gave me three different responses as to why the money was paid into her account.

    “First she denied knowing Obla, second, she said it was for a property transaction for a property at Hilltop area of Abeokuta and that Obla paid N5 million out of N28.5 million which was the cost of the property.

    “In another breath, she said it was for a property in Kashi village Abuja worth N40 million for which Obla showed an interest in and paid a deposit of N5 million.

    “When we confronted Obla, he said the N5 million was paid to the judge to buy iron rods for building and that one Joseph or George supplied the iron rods to him.

    “We confronted him with Ofili-Ajumogobia’s statement and he said her statement was not true, and that he did not buy any property from the judge,” he said.

    Mr. Abdullahi said the EFCC investigated the claims of Obla that the N5 million was for the supply of iron rods and the anti-graft agency’s findings were that the claims were untrue.

    The EFCC investigator went further to claim that Ofili-Ajumogobia had used her two children; Aridim and Tochukwu, to front as directors in companies owned by her and used to launder money.

    “The address of Nigel and Colive was given as 293, Borno Way, Ebute Meta, Lagos.

    “We wrote to the company and there was no response and our visit to the company address proved that it was non-existent.

    “The directors of the company; Aridim Ajumogobia and Tochukwu Ajumogobia are the two children of the first defendant.

    “They were invited by the Commission and they claimed that they did not know anything about the N5 million transaction, the company was not into any kind of business and they did not know how they became directors,” he told the court.

    The witness said the anti-graft agency through its investigators said the N5 million paid into judge’s account by Mr. Obla was used to decorate her home in Ikoyi, Lagos.

    “When the N5 million was paid into the account of Nigel and Colive, the balance of the account was N11.5 million.

    “We traced N4million paid from that account into the account of New Frontiers Engineering Construction Company, an interior decorating company for a N30 million contract to decorate her home.

    “The first defendant was the one who instructed the disbursement of all the payments for Nigel and Colive.”

    The EFCC investigator also told the court how the N18 million the judge allegedly borrowed from a former employer, Gregory Ero of Arkleen Oil and Gas Ltd was used.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Mr. Ero, Ms. Ofili-Ajumogobia’s former employer had testified in court on May 26 that the judge refused to pay back the N18 million he gave her in 2012.

    Mr. Abdullahi while testifying said: “My findings were that N18 million from Arkleen Oil and Gas was not part of the illegitimate earnings of the judge.

    “When the money was received on June 5,2012 it was placed in a fix deposit, as at March , 2013 the N18 million had become N21 million and at April 29, 2013 N22 million was transferred to the first defendant’s account in Diamond Bank.

    “This sum formed part of the N18 million that was collected from Arkleen Oil and Gas, it was converted into dollars on May 6, 2013 at N157 per dollar and moved into her domiciliary account in Diamond Bank.

    “The converted sum was $140, 129, 39 and three days after it was received, $139, 815 was moved to the offshore account of Silversteps Incorporation, an account domiciled in First Bank of Nigeria (FBN), United Kingdom.

    “Investigations revealed that the first defendant was behind of Silversteps Incorporation and the sole director of the company was her daughter Aribim Ajumogobia but all transactions were done by the judge.

    “Aribim Ajumogobia was interviewed and she confirmed that all transactions were done by her mother.

    “The money was used for a mortgage transaction for a property located at 157, Verulem Lane, London.

    Mr. Oyedepo sought to tender documents of the mortgage transaction as evidence but Robert Clarke, Ms. Ofili-Ajumogobia’s defence counsel, objected that the documents had no connection with the charges the judge was facing.

    After his objection, Mr. Clarke in an application dated October 23 requested the release of the judge’s international passport by the court.

    Mr. Oyedepo, however, opposing Mr. Clarke’s application said: “I do not think there is an approval from the Honourable Chief Judge for the first defendant’s journey to the U.S.A.”

    Mr. Clarke responding to Mr. Oyedepo said: “We would look into this aspect of the application and get the position of Your Lordship at the next adjourned date.

    Ifedayo Adedipe also asked the court for the release of Mr. Obla’s international passport.

    “My Lord, we have an application dated October 17 seeking Your Lordship’s leave for an order for the temporary release of the second defendant’s international passport.

    “He wants to travel to Atlanta, Georgia, USA on October 28 and return on or before November 10, the defendant is desirous of travelling because of family obligations,” Mr. Adedipe said.

    In his ruling, Justice Hakeem Oshodi said: “The Chief Registrar shall release the international passport of the second defendant who is to travel between October 28 and return on or before November 9.”

    Ms. Ofili-Ajumogobia is standing trial alongside Godwin Obla, a former prosecutor of the EFCC.

    Both have been jointly charged with a two-count offence bordering on perverting the course of justice.

    Mr. Obla is facing an additional two counts of offering gratification in the sum of N5 million to Ms. Ofili-Ajumogobia, a public official while serving as a judge.

    Ms. Ofili-Ajumogobia faces a 26-count charge bordering on unlawful enrichment, taking property by a public officer, corruption, forgery and giving false information to an official of the EFCC.

    Both denied all the charges.

    Justice Oshodi adjourned the case until November 10 for ruling on the admissibility of the mortgage documents and continuation of trial.

    (NAN)

  • ‘Evans offered us N200m bribe when arrested,’ says police detective, Abba Kyari

    ‘Evans offered us N200m bribe when arrested,’ says police detective, Abba Kyari

    The Head of the Police, the Intelligence Response Team, [IRT] Unit, ACP Abba Kyari, that captured billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, aka, Evans, yesterday disclosed how his squad was offered a bribe of N200m by the Evans when he was captured by his officers.
    Abba Kyari who personally led the operation to arrest the kidnapper made this revelation while reacting to an allegation made by, Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje, lawyer to Evans that the Nigerian Police extorted N50m from the kidnapping kingpin.
    Kyari made the disclosure while reacting to a discourse on the Facebook page of CKN News on how true the allegations of Ogungbeje.
    “All lies from this Criminal and Hungry Lawyer who is desperate to eat from Evans loot. My brother Everything Recovered from Evans kidnapper have been Registered as Exhibit because it’s bought frm the Ransom money he collected from Innocent Nigerians he Kidnapped and Court will eventually decide on all the Houses and other properties Recovered.
    Most of the things Recovered like the Trucks, Handsets, Jewelries, Houses, Cars etc are mentioned to the Press and carried by many Major newspapers in the past and u can google to verify. The Criminal Lawyer is even Implicating his Client the more by Reminding the Public of the Proceeds his kidnapper Client acquired frm the Ransoms he collected.
    I was Surprised He was also talking about 50m Cash recovered, How, Where and When? We have Written and Video Confessions of Evans Mentioning The Properties, Cars, Houses etc he acquired from the Ransom monies he has collected and most are recovered and Since Evans didn’t mention the 50m to us the lawyer most know where it’s kept.
    We know what to do on all this lies he is talking, There are Laws in this Country. He Thinks he can lie to ridicule the Uncompromising team that Arrested the most Notorious Kidnapper in Nigeria Evans, Same team that Refused to Collect 200million Evans Offered the moment he was arrested pledging that he can Make Calls for 200m to be brought in 48hrs if he can be released without anybody knowing.
    Same team refused the Offer and arrested him and exposed him to the Public. Wether the Criminal and his Lawyer likes it or not Recovery of Evans loots will Continue as the Criminal Lawyer is not happy with very Recent Recoveries of Trucks and Some part of Ransom Money.
    The Money and the Proceeds belongs to the Victims he Kidnapped and Collected their money not Evans. No need to talk too much bro. We will not relent and we know what to do. Many thanks my brother.”

  • 2015 Elections: How INEC officers received N264m bribe from Allison-Madueke – witness

    A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday, heard that two Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, employees, Christian Nwosu and Yisa Adegoyin, allegedly received N264million from a former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Allison-Madueke.

    A prosecution witness, Mr Timothy Olaobaju, said that the money was paid to Nwosu and Adedoyin in cash.

    Olaobaju said this while testifying at the resumed trial of the accused persons, facing charges of corruption and undue enrichment.

    They are charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on allegations of receiving bribe from the former minister.

    Also charged is Tijani Bashir.

    Adedoyin had pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted following a plea bargain.

    Led in evidence on Wednesday by the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness, a bank operative, said that he paid Nwosu and Adedoyin the sum of N264 million, on the instructions of Alison-Madueke.

    “Sometime in 2015, there was a meeting between our Managing Director and former Petroleum Minister during which she explained that some companies and individuals would come to the bank to pay some money into some accounts.

    “The companies were Nothern Belt Ltd, Actus Integrated Ltd, Midwestern Company and one Mr Leno Laitan.

    “In addition, she said that certain individuals would bring some cash to be kept for her.

    “A total sum of 89 million dollars was paid into the accounts; cash sums of 25 million dollars was brought, totalling 114 million dollars and the money was kept in the bank pending her instruction as agreed.

    “On March 26, 2014, we got instruction that the money be converted to naira.

    “After it was converted, it amounted to about N23 billion.

    ‘’There was a list of beneficiaries that was sent, to be paid across the 36 states of the federation, including Kwara and I handled the transactions in my branch,” the witness said.

    He said that the accused came to his office to collect the cash payment, and that he only acted on instruction.

    “There was an instruction that Nwosu and Adedoyin be paid N264 million and it was on the instructions of Alison-Madueke that they were paid,” he said

    According to the witness, the accused signed a receipt of payment for the money they collected.

    The witness said that after the accused were paid, they left with the cash and did not pay it into any account in his branch.

    Meanwhile, under cross examination by defence counsel, Messrs Obinna Okereke and Nelson Imoh, the witness said that he did not know the purpose of the payment.

    “The only instruction we had is that they should bring means of identification and should be paid; we did not know the purpose of the payment,” he said.

    The case was adjourned until June 29 for continuation of trial.

    The prosecution had alleged that the accused persons committed the offence on March 27, 2015 by accepting bribe from the ex-Minister.

    They were alleged to have conspired to take possession of the sum of about N264 million which sum they reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act of gratification.

    The accused were also said to have made cash payments of the sum of about N235 million, which sum exceeded the amount authorized by Law, without going through a financial institution.

    EFCC alleged that Bashir also made a cash payment of about N70.1 million to Adedoyin without going through a financial institution and which sum exceeded the amount authorized by law.

    The prosecution also alleged that Bashir also directly took possession of the sum of about N165 million which sum he ought reasonably to have known formed part of an unlawful act of gratification.

    In count seven, Nwosu was alleged to have directly used the sum of N30 million which he ought to have known formed part of an unlawful act of gratification.

    The offences were said to have contravened the provisions of sections 15 (3), 16 (2) and 18 (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Amendment Act, 2012.

     

     

    NAN

     

  • N23bn Diezani bribe: EFCC arraigns Jonathan’s ex-FCT minister, Akinjide, today

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, will on Thursday (today) arraign a former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Jumoke Akinjide, for allegedly receiving N650m from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, during the countdown to the 2015 general election.

    The money was said to be part of the $115m (N23bn as of 2015) allegedly disbursed by Diezani, part of which was allegedly used in bribing some senior officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

    The money was said to be part of kickbacks received from oil firms.

    The spokesman for the EFCC, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said Akinjide, who was the Oyo State Coordinator of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, would be arraigned on 24 counts of Money Laundering before Justice Ayo Emmanuel of a Federal High Court, Ibadan.

    According to the charge sheet with Suit No: FHC/1B/26C/2017, the former minister, along with the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Oyo State, Mr Yinka Taiwo, and others now at large, on or about March 27, 2015 within the jurisdiction of the court, did conspire among yourselves to directly ‘take possession of the sum of N650,000,000 which you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: money laundering, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 as amended and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”

    She is also accused of violating sections 1(a), 16(d), 15(2)(d) and18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.

    The EFCC said Akinjide and others conspired to make cash payments exceeding the amount authorised by law without going through any financial institution.

    The prosecution said they were liable to be punished under sections 15(3)(4) and 16(2)(b) of the same Act.

    Akinjide first visited the EFCC in August last year where she was made to refund about N10m.

    The former minister was said to have applied for bail on the grounds that she needed to travel out of the country for medical attention.

    A member of the House of Representatives, Aliyu Pategi, stood surety for her but was arrested when Akinjide refused to make herself available as promised.

     

  • I didn’t take N100m bribe to suspend Emir Sanusi’s probe – Kano Speaker

    The Speaker, Kano State House of Assembly, Kabiru Rurum, has denied a media report that he received N100m bribe to suspend the probe of Emir of Kano, Mallam Muhammad Sanusi II.

    Rurum, on Tuesday in Kano, dismissed as false and an attempt to tarnish his image, the report by an online medium.

    He also gave the medium one week within which to retract the report and apologise to the State Assembly or face legal action.

    The speaker said the House would constitute a committee to investigate the matter, adding that the publishers must come before the committee to defend the allegation.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the state Assembly was divided over an alleged bribe received from industry mogul, Aliko Dangote, to suspend the probe of the emir.

    He said, “I wish to clearly make it known that the story is not true, but mere libelous and false information aimed at tarnishing my image and that of my colleagues.”

    According to him, the report is also targeted at creating tension and chaos among the lawmakers and ridicule the personality of Dangote.

    “The story was a fabrication, a tissue of lies and unjustifiable, because there was never a time I met with Dangote to discuss such an issue, not to talk of him offering us a bribe.”

    He explained that the intervention of Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, Northern governors and other notable Nigerians to stop the probe was channeled through the state governor and not directly to the Assembly.

    “It is a tradition that when such things happen, the governor gets in touch with us as one of the three arms of government.

    “Therefore, the governor forwarded his request letter, appealing for the suspension of the investigation on behalf of all the concerned citizens.” (NAN)

  • Senate indicts suspended SGF, Lawal, says he collected N507m bribe

    The final report of the Senate ad-hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North East has revealed that contractors paid over N500m in kickbacks to a company linked to the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engr. Babachir David Lawal.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that an interim report, late last year, had indicted Lawal for due process violation in award of contracts under Presidential Initiatives on North East (PINE)

    The over N500m discovered by the committee was paid to Rholavision Engineering Limited.

    The report presented by the chairman of the committee Senator Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central), to Senate at plenary yesterday is expected to be considered today.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that the Yemi Osinbajo-led committee investigating allegations against Lawal and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Amb. Ayo Oke had last week requested the Senate to produce relevant documents on the matter.

    In the final report, the Sani panel submitted that N507m was paid into Lawal’s company account by seven PINE contractors.

    It alleged that JOSMON technologies limited which got two contracts, amounting to N530m from PINE, paid N317m to the company of the suspended SGF in 23 transfers.

    The panel also said JMI global technologies limited, was awarded eight contracts amounting to N199m by PINE and it paid N30m from Zenith bank account number 114357188 into Rholavision account with ECObank.

    Also, Messers Adamawa Borehole and Drilling Company which was awarded contract to renovate seven number of 18 classrooms at Yeskule Girls Secondary School Michika in Adamawa state at N54.8m transferred N18.3m to the suspended SGF’s company.

    Another N58m was paid to Lawal’s company by Yuby Ventures limited which was awarded a contract of five number of 15 classrooms at Hausari Primary School in Adamawa.

    The panel also uncovered that Barde Brothers multi-Services Limited which was awarded seven contracts for renovation of classrooms in Adamawa state at N145.6m paid N71m to Rholavision in three instalments.

    The company also paid another N13m into personal account (no. 0003004417) of the suspended SGF at Diamond bank in three instalments.

    The committee said it discovered that the suspended SGF resigned in September 2016, but that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has confirmed that he was the signatory to accounts of the company as at Wednesday, 15th February 2017.

    “In the course of its investigation, the committee observed that Rholavision Engineering Limited has become a destination pool for companies that were awarded contracts by PINE and other government agencies to make payments into its (Rholavision) account no. 0182001809 with ECObank, “it said.

    The committee recommended that further investigation be carried out by relevant agencies of government on why contract benefiting companies paid over N500m into Rholavision Engineering Limited, a company in which the suspended SGF has interest.

    “The banks transaction of Rholavision Engineering Limited and the confirmation by CBN that the Bank Verification Number (BVN) of Babachir David Lawal is still the signatory to Rholavision and 13 other accounts, some with different names.

    “The committee is of the opinion that Lawal has contravened the provision of part 1 of the fifth schedules of the 1999 Constitution and the breach the oaths of office as SGF and therefore he should be prosecuted,” the committee stated.

    The panel also said that all resources that had been misapplied or stolen by public officials should be retrieved and that anybody found culpable of contravening any of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act and the Federal government financial rules and regulations pertaining to the award of these contracts should be duly prosecuted.

    It also said that relevant agencies should ensure that contracts partially executed but fully paid for must be completed by the concerned contractors.

    The panel further said that since it was observed that there was no bill of quantities on most of the contracts awarded by PINE under the emergency situation, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) should undertake a revaluation of all such contracts to recover any proceeds from over-inflated contracts.

     

  • 2015 elections: Court jails INEC staff for alleged N122.4m bribe

    A Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State has ordered that one Fidelia Omoile, a serving Independent National Electoral Commission’ s (INEC) official in Isoko- South Local Government Area of Delta State, to be remanded in prison custody for conspiracy and money laundering.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had accused Omoile of committing the crime ahead of the 2015 general elections.

    The anti-graft agency claimed that Omoile collected the sum of N112,480,000.00 (One Hundred and Twelve Million, Four Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira), as a bribe during the countdown to the 2015 Presidential election from former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison- Madueke.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Omoile was arrested on 11 April, 2016 following a tip off received by the EFCC on the activities of some INEC Staff, who allegedly planned with some Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), in defrauding the Federal Government huge sums of money, running into millions of Naira.

    Count one of the charge reads: “That you Fidelia Omoile on or about the month of March, 2015 at Asaba within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire among yourselves to receive cash payment in the sum of N 112,480,000.00 (One Hundred and Twelve Million, Four Hindered and Eighty Thousand Naira only) exceeding the statutory limit without going through a financial institution and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 as amended and punishable under Section 15 (3) and (4) of the same Act.”

    Count two of the charge read: “That you Fidelia Omoile on or about the month of March, 2015 at Asaba within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did receive cash payment in the sum of N112,480,000.00 (One Hundred and Twelve Million, Four Hindered and Eighty Thousand Naira only) exceeding the statutory limit without going through a financial institution and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (a) of the Money laundering ( Prohibition) Act 2012 as amended and punishable under Section 16 (b) and (4) of the same Act.”

    The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to her.

    In view of her plea, prosecution counsel, Sadiq Hussaini, asked for a trial date and asked that the defendant be remanded in prison custody.

    However, counsel to the defendant, K. O Obamogie, made an oral application for bail of his client and urged the court to grant his prayers.

    In his verdict, Justice O. Efreti Abang rejected the defendant’ s application for bail, directing that the aplication be filed formally.

    He also adjourned the matter to 6th June, 2017 for hearing and ordered the defendant to be remanded in prison custody pending the determination of her bail.