TheNewsGuru

Tag: EFCC

  • Despite expected release tomorrow, Ibori not coming home

    Former Delta state Governor, James Onanefe Ibori, who has completed his jail term in London and is due to be released tomorrow has dispelled rumours that he is returning to Nigeria immediately.

    Chief Ibori, in a statement signed by his Media Assistant, Tony Eluemunor, called on his well-wishers to disregard the rumours.

    A section of the media had speculated that the former governor, whose conviction and jail for corruption and money laundering in the United Kingdom has taken different turns in recent times, would return to Nigeria on December 23.

    “When the time comes, any important information will be made available to the public and nothing would be left for conjecture,” Ibori said.

    ‘Ribadu’s excesses, not me, removed him from office’

    Chief Ibori also in the statement berated an online news platform for dragging his name into the Senate refusal to confirm Ibrahim Magu as chair of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

    According to Chief Ibori, “What makes it galling is that the matter under contention was the Department of State Security’s report that stopped the Senate from confirming Mr. Ibrahim Magu as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and did not warrant the dragging in of my name at all”.

    Chief Ibori particularly took exception to a report in Premium Times which said “based on pressure from political gladiators of the period (among which were former Governors James Ibori and Bukola Saraki), then President Musa Yar’Adua unceremoniously removed Nuhu Ribadu as chairman of the EFCC”.

    Ibori explained his position that Governor Nasir el-Rufai has exposed this claim as a terrible lie in his book, The Accidental Public Servant, adding that el-Rufai stated the source of the trouble the former EFCC chair, Ribadu had with President Musa Yar’Adua.

    “On page 358, in a section entitled ‘Umaru Asks Nuhu for Support: the Beginning of Our Trouble’ he (el-Rufai) wrote that Ribadu was so maddened that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had favoured Yar’Adua above Nasir el-Rufai to succeed him as President in 2007 that he told Yar’Adua to his face: “Well, Obasanjo has not told me, and as far as the presidency is concerned, I have my candidate for president, and that is El-Rufai”.

    “El-Rufai continued on page 359: ‘It took sometime before Nuhu figured out Obasanjo’s games and what was really happening. Nuhu’s instinctive reaction was that of a typical policeman – dust off EFCC’s files and comb for petitions against Umaru. Nuhu did not realize it at that time, but he was the one in trouble not Obasanjo or Umaru. He dusted off all the files against Umaru and launched investigations. He was clearly trying to take Yar’Adua out of the race and narrow all options to zero except for El-Rufai,” Ibori said.

    Ibori continued: “It is clear that from El-Rufai’s that there was no way a clear-headed Yar-Adua would have appointed a power-drunken Ribadu, who had unjustly arrested some Katsina state’s LGA chairmen just to demonize Yar’Adua to remain as EFCC Chairman, to continue to arrest people unjustly, play politics with his office and hypocritically claim to be fighting corruption when he was neck deep in the worst corruption, maligning others just because of politics.

    “Ribadu’s excesses, not me, removed him from office,” Ibori said.

  • In-Photos: Fani-Kayode, Obanikoro, Bala, Abati, others in EFCC custody

    The picture which went viral on Saturday had Former FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed;Ex-spokesperson to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Reuben Abati; former Minister of State for Defense, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; Spokesperson for the GEJ Presidential Campaign, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode and Engineer Bashir Ushaq Bashir together at the Economic and Financial Crimes Detention, EFCC detention in November 2016.

    All had now been granted administrative bail by the Commission. Their trials however continues.

  • Money laundering: EFCC re-arraigns former Gov. Ladoja, aide

    Money laundering: EFCC re-arraigns former Gov. Ladoja, aide

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Wednesday re-arraigned a former governor of Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja before a Federal High Court, Lagos, over N4.7 billion money laundering.

    Ladoja is charged alongside his former aide, Waheed Akanbi, on eight counts bordering on the alleged offence.

    The duo pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    After their pleas, the Prosecutor, Mr Oluwafemi Olabisi, asked the court to fix a date for commencement of trial.

    In response, defence counsel, Mr Bolaji Onilenla and Mr Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, informed the court of their clients’ bail applications.

    Onilenla, representing Ladoja, urged the court to allow his client to continue on the bail conditions earlier granted him in 2008 by Justice A.R. Mohammed.

    He submitted that the first accused had kept good faith with the terms and conditions of the bail and that there was no single incidence of default.

    He assured the court that his client will “behave himself’’ and make himself available for trial.

    According to Onilenla, in case the court is not inclined to allowing Ladoja to continue with the previous bail, then the court should grant bail on liberal terms.

    Counsel to the other accused, Olumide-Fusika, also aligned himself with the submissions of Onilenla.

    The prosecutor objected to the bail application and urged the court to refuse the same on the grounds that the accused had frustrated trial for years through their appeals challenging the competence of the charges.

    Ruling, Justice Mohammed Idris, held that the court could not deny the accused bail on account of exercise of their constitutional rights of appeal, resulting in the delay of the case.

    The court added that there was no evidence that the accused breached the terms of the bail granted them eight years ago.

    The court therefore, allowed the accused to continue with the bail as granted by Justice A.R. Mohammed eight years ago.

    Idris held: “It is not out of place for this court to revalidate the order of A.R. Mohammed J’’.

    He adjourned the case to Feb. 14, 15 and 16, 2017 for commencement of trial.

    Recall that Ladoja was granted bail on Sept. 5, 2008, in the sum of N100 million with two sureties in like sum.

    In the charge marked FHC/L/336C/08, the EFCC alleged that the duo conspired to convert properties and resources derived from an illegal act, with the intention of concealing their illicit origin.

    The anti-graft agency also alleged that Ladoja used N42 million out of the proceeds to purchase an Armoured Land Cruiser Jeep, and remitted about £600,000 to one Bimpe Ladoja in London.

    The offences are said to have contravened the provisions of sections 14 (a) and 17 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004

  • Court orders immediate unfreezing of Fayose’s accounts in Zenith Bank

    A Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday, set aside an earlier order of a Federal High court, Lagos empowering the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to freeze two accounts of Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose.

    The court consequently ordered the EFCC to immediately unfreezing of the two accounts belonging to the governor without further delay, on the account that the anti-graft agency did not follow due process.

    Justice Taiwo Taiwo who gave the order while delivering a judgment which lasted more than two hours, in a suit filed by the governor, through his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome, said the rights of the governor had been unconstitutionally infringed upon, considering the circumstance of his office.

    He declared that apart from the immunity which Fayose currently enjoyed as a sitting governor under section 308 of the constitution, it was wrong for the EFCC to have gone ahead to seize his two accounts in apparent perpetuity without first investigating him or making him a party.

    He averred that rather than the EFCC freezing the governor’s accounts directly through the third party who did not enjoy any mandate from him, the governor himself ought to have been first investigated and brought into the picture.

    He described Fayose as “a genuinely deprived person who rushed to the court to seek constitutional protection.”

    He said it was also the duty of any presiding judge to protect the said constitution and its interpretations whenever the need arises.

    “The Plaintiff is entitled to be heard before his property or money can be seized, doing otherwise will amount to denying him fair hearing and constitutional rights”, he said.

    However, the judge refused to grant other reliefs sought by the governor, including a perpetual injunction restraining EFCC or its agents from further tampering with his property, and another one asking for payment of N5billion as exemplary damages.

    “This court will not shield any person from due investigation.

    “Since Police cannot be stopped from investigating a crime, same goes for the First Respondent so as not to whittle down its functions”, the judge said.

    EFCC lead counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo was absent at the court but Fayose’s lead counsel, Ozekhome, in his reaction described the judgment as the best to be so made, saying it would checkmate the agency against years of brazen arbitrariness and excesses.

     

  • We warned Nigerians on danger of MMM – EFCC

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Tuesday, reminded Nigerians of the several warnings issued to the public on the dangers of investing in the popular Ponzi scheme, Mavrodi Mondial Moneybox (MMM), as the scheme freezes operations for 30 days.

    The commission made the disclosure on their official Twitter account, @officialEFCC, while reacting to an accusation levelled against it by a netizen on Twitter.

    According to the critic, who identified self as @Lolami_Boo on Twitter, she accused EFCC of negligence of duty saying, “Isn’t it your job to stop crap like this?”

     

    Reacting to the accusation, EFCC said, “You mean amongst the plethora of venality we fight daily? Ponzi schemes aren’t sustainable. There were a number of warnings. #DontDoIt”

    It will be recalled that the scheme, placed one month ban on all withdrawals starting from Dec. 13.

    A letter displayed on the page of participants of the scheme cited “heavy workload on system” as reason for the ban.

  • OAU VC, bursar summoned by EFCC over N1bn allowance

    The acting Vice-Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof. Anthony Elujoba, and the Bursar, Mrs. Aderonke Akeredolu, has been summoned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over the payment of an ‘unapproved’ hazard allowances to the institution’s workers.

    The allowances paid to the academic and non-academic staff were over N1 billion and were sourced from the university’s endowment funds account, which is usually dedicated for projects.

    But the spokesperson for the university, Biodun Olarewaju, argued that the specific fund used in paying the allowances was not attached to any project in the account.

    It was also gathered that certain allowances earmarked for the office of the VC were also being investigated by the federal agency.

    The invitation was confirmed in a letter obtained on Monday.

    The letter, signed by Oseni Kazeem of the Southwest Zonal Office of the commission in Ibadan, Oyo State, advised the invited officers to come along with necessary documents.

    The letter reads in part, “The office is currently investigating a case in which there is the need to obtain clarification from you. In view of the foregoing, you and your bursar are requested to report to our office for an interview.

    “You are also to come along with the following documents: the salary payment schedule/any other payment made to senior staff and junior staff in August and September, 2016; payment vouchers relating to furniture allowances paid to the VC from the day he assumed office to date; certified true copies of the monthly salary pay slips of the VC from the day he assumed office to date.”

    Olarewaju said the payment of the allowances should not be tagged as misappropriation.

    “The acting VC has been invited by the EFCC to come and make some clarification and as a law abiding citizen, he will attend. Afterwards, we will know what to do.

    “The fund used to pay the allowances cannot amount to misappropriation. The said money was not attached to any project or anything. It was just in the account.

    “And, of course, when the life of a member of the staff of the university was threatened by those who are agitating for the payment, the acting VC had to save the situation by paying the allowances to douse the tension.

    “You will agree with me that, since then, there have been peace on campus. It was not that the money was in that account for a particular project and was diverted. The issue of misappropriation does not arise here.”

    Sources said that upon resumption of office, the acting VC paid hazard allowances to the workers after continuous protest and unrest in the university.

    It would be recalled that the hazard allowances were a major reason why members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities at the institution protested against the former administration headed by Prof. Bamitale Omole.

  • Patience Jonathan petitions Nat’l Assembly

    Patience Jonathan petitions Nat’l Assembly

    The House of Representatives on Wednesday, received a petition from former first lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    In the petition presented to the House by Lovette Idisi, the former first lady alleged that she was being “incessantly harassed” by the anti-graft agency.

    Commenting on the petition, Idisi said that the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan was presumed to be innocent until proven guilty as enshrined in Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

    “This petition is in line with Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, where every citizen of the country is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

    “Mr Speaker, the constant harassment of the former first lady is a petition emanating from her which was sent to my office.

    “With the leave of the house, I seek your permission to lay the petition before the house,” Idisi said.

    After Idisi laid the petition, the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, referred it to the Committee on Public Petitions.

    It would be recalled that Justice Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court Lagos, on Wednesday, adjourned till Jan. 18, 2017, hearing in a suit by former first lady, Patience Jonathan, seeking enforcement of her fundamental rights.

    Jonathan had instituted the fundamental rights suit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, claiming the sum of $200m as damages for inconveniences suffered.

    In her suit, she also joined Skye bank Plc, and a former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Warampo Dudafa, as respondents.

    Also joined in the suit are four companies namely: Pluto Property Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd, Transocean company Ltd and Globus Integrated Service Ltd.

  • N8bn Fraud: Ex DG NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi, others re-arraigned

    N8bn Fraud: Ex DG NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi, others re-arraigned

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on December 5, 2016 re-arraigned a former Director General (DG) of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, and Army General, Major General Emmanuel Atewe, one Kime Enzogu and a Josephine Otuaga before Justice S. Saidu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on a 22-count amended charge of conspiracy, stealing and money laundering to the tune of N8,537,586,798.58 (Eight Billion, Five Hundred and Thirty Seven Million, Five Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety Eight Naira, Fifty Eight kobo).

    According to the EFCC Spokesman, Wilson Ujuwaren at the resumed hearing, the Prosecution Counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court of an amended charge and prayed that the charge to allow same in order to enable the defendant’s take their plea again.

    One of the charges reads “that you Patrick Ziadeke Akpobolokemi, Major General Emmanuel Atewe, Kime Enzogu and Josephine Otuaga, sometime in 2014, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence to wit: Conversion of the sum of N8,537,586,798.58 (Eight Billion, Five Hundred and Thirty Seven Million, Five Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety Eight Naira, Fifty Eight kobo), property of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act”.

    They pleaded not guilty to the amended charges.

    The prosecution continued trial with the evidence of the prosecution witness, Adamu Usman Yusuf, an investigating officer with the EFCC.

    Adamu told the court that sometime in 2015, the EFCC received intelligence reports alleging mismanagement and laundering of funds under the leadership of Dr. Patrick Akpobolokemi part of which was the alleged conspiracy with the high command of the Joint Task Force, JTF, “Operation Pulo Shield” to which billions of Naira were laundered.

    He further revealed that upon investigation, documents such as payment vouchers, transfer instructions and applications from JTF “Operation Pulo Shield” requesting financial assistance from NIMASA with details on how the money will be utilized was recovered from the headquarters of NIMASA situated at No 4, Boma road, Apapa, Lagos.

    He told the court that billions of Naira were transferred to the Zenith Bank account of JTF “Operation Pulo Shield”, as well as 6 other companies such as Jagan Ltd, Jagan Trading company, Jagan Global Services, Paper Warehouse, Easepoint Integrated Services Limited, Profoma Project & Services Limited, The New Link Service Limited, First Investment Nigeria Limited, IMP Ltd and some others.

    Letters requesting the account statements and opening package of the JTF ”Operation Pulo Shield” and the aforementioned companies were sent to their respective banks and responses were received. The letters were tendered and admitted as exhibits.

    The witness, PW 2, further revealed that at the end of the investigation, it was discovered that over N4,000,000,000 (Four Billion Naira) converted into U.S. Dollar was handed over to the 3rd and 4th defendants who acknowledged receipt of the funds and that piece of evidence was forwarded to the forensic unit of the EFCC for analysis to which they responded to.

    The document was tendered in evidence.

    Justice Saidu adjourned the matter to February 3, 2017 for continuation of trial.