₦23bn Bribe: EFCC To Arrest More INEC Officers, Bankers

EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is set to arrest more officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and election monitors that received various bribes in the N23bn funds from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The Punch report continues:

The PUNCH had reported on Thursday that the EFCC had arrested the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, for handling US$115m for Diezani in the build-up to the presidential election.

Okonkwo was alleged to have helped in converting the money to ₦23bn which was then disbursed to INEC officials and election monitors under the instruction of Diezani’s son, Ugonna, for the electoral chiefs to manipulate the poll results.

A reliable source at the EFCC said, “Ugonna prepared a list of beneficiaries that would get the money and it was distributed about a day or two before the elections. We have started tracing those who collected money and our aim is to recover the funds.

“All the electoral officers, who betrayed public trust would be arrested. All EFCC zonal offices have been given the directive to investigate in their respective areas of jurisdictions.”

The EFCC had, two weeks ago, arrested the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the 2015 election in Rivers State, Mrs. Gesila Khan, for allegedly collecting ₦185.8m while one Fidelia Omoile who was the INEC electoral officer in the Isoko-South Local Government Area of Delta State, allegedly got ₦112.4m.

Apart from tracing over ₦112m to her, the commission also recovered some sensitive electoral materials during a search on her apartments in Edo and Delta states.

The commission also arrested one Oluchi Brown, who was the INEC administrative secretary in Delta State. She allegedly received over ₦111m.

Further investigations by detectives revealed that Brown had about US$75,857 in an account in the United States.

The anti-graft agency also arrested one Edem Effanga, who is a retired INEC official.

He was arrested alongside his alleged accomplice, Immaculata Asuquo, who is the Head, Voter Education, INEC, Akwa Ibom State.

He was alleged to have received over ₦241.1m, which he allegedly shared among INEC ad hoc workers during the last election.

Meanwhile, the commission has intensified its search for Diezani’s son.

According to sources at the EFCC, Ugonna is the key to arresting all those involved in the case.

EFCC officials had stated that Diezani’s son served as a middleman between the ex-minister and the bank MD.

Ugonna is the Head of Business Development and Commercial Marketing at Radam Maritime Services Limited, a firm, which is headed by his father, Alison Madueke, a former Chief of naval Staff, who is also under investigation by the EFCC for alleged money laundering.

He is said to have business interests in the United States and the United Kingdom.

A senior official, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said, “We have launched a manhunt for Ugonna, who the suspects said was the one who drew up a list of individuals, who should be given the ₦23bn (US$115m).

“We don’t know exactly where he is but we will get him. He needs to explain his role in the sharing of the money because the bank officials have been mentioning his name since they were brought in.”

Ugonna, who is an engineer, burst into the limelight in 2012 when photos showing his ostentatious lifestyle went viral on the Internet.

In one of such pictures, the graduate of University of Maryland College Park in the US, was seen flying in a private jet and later drinking champagne in a limousine. He has also been seen displaying wads of dollar notes on social media.

Meanwhile, sources at the EFCC told our correspondent that it would arrest more employees of Fidelity Bank, who allegedly participated in the sharing of the US$115m.

A detective told our correspondent on condition of anonymity that there were others in the bank, especially at the Head Office, who would have been aware of the bazaar but failed to alert the appropriate authorities.

“Currently, we have the MD as well as the Head of Operations, Mr. Martins Izuogbe. However, we have reason to believe that they are not the only two that were involved in the bazaar. In the coming days, we will arrest more workers,” he said.

₦23.3b Bribe: Bank, INEC Officials Refund ₦408.7m

The Nation reports that more arrests are on the way in the probe of the huge cash some oil companies pumped into the failed bid to change the 2015 presidential election results. Some of the cash has been recovered.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested some bankers. It plans to haul in some oil barons who contributed US$115m (₦23, 299,705,000billion) to bribe some Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials. The officials were to alter the results of the election in which President Muhammadu Buhari, the then candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) beat then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.

The owner of an oil company, Leno Olaitan Adesanya, yesterday reported at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja for interrogation.

He was however asked to go to the commission’s office in Lagos for questioning.

Two others, who have been summoned by the EFCC, were said to have gone underground and incommunicado.

The EFCC has recovered ₦408.7million from some of the beneficiaries of the slush funds.

Fidelity Bank refunded ₦49.7million, its profit from the disbursement of the ₦23.29billion provided by former Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Some former and serving INEC officials in Oyo and Ogun states refunded ₦359millon.

More officials of INEC were said to have rushed to the EFCC to refund the bribe given to them.

The EFCC team has intensified its investigation into the scandal.

It was learnt that besides INEC officials in the 36 states, the EFCC has invited the owners of the oil firms which contributed US$88.35million of the US$115million sent to Fidelity Bank by the ex-Minister of Petroleum Resources.

One of the four oil firms implicated in the bribery saga has been linked to former Governor of Delta State, who is serving a jail term in the United Kingdom, James Ibori.

It was gathered that the oil companies were mandated by Mrs Alison-Madueke to part with US$88.35million as their contribution to Dr. Jonathan’s campaign.

Some of the oil chiefs were shocked by the findings of the EFCC that their donations were deployed in bribing INEC officials, The Nation learnt.

An EFCC source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Our investigation into the ₦23.29billion bribe has reached a critical stage. Six teams are working round the clock in all the geopolitical zones.

“The top officials of Fidelity Bank in custody have made statements, including the list of all beneficiaries and bank details of payments made to them.

“We are likely to arrest more suspects, especially the oil chiefs who provided about US$88.35million of the US$115million lodged in Fidelity Bank for conversion to naira.

“One of the clues we are probing is the likelihood of these funds being laundered by the oil firms and their owners.

“If these clues are proven, they may eventually face trial for money laundering. We will surely interact with these oil magnates.

“Some oil companies are under surveillance for their covert operation in diverting taxes and revenue meant for the Federal Government to fund campaigns. You can now understand why some of them were given tax waivers.”

The source added: “One of the oil chiefs, Leno Olaitan Adesanya, reported at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja but he has been directed to go to the Lagos office.

“We are expecting him for grilling on Friday (today). We have invited other oil chiefs but two of them have gone underground. We will fish them out wherever they are.”

Fidelity Bank and some former and serving officials of INEC have refunded about ₦408.7million to the EFCC.

While the bank refunded ₦49.7million, some former and serving INEC officials in Oyo and Ogun states paid back ₦359millon

A top EFCC source said: “While scrutinizing their records, we discovered that Fidelity Bank made a profit of ₦49.7million from the disbursement transactions made in all its branches nationwide. The management of the bank on Thursday refunded the profit while we are continuing investigation on other funds.

“Some former and serving INEC officials in Oyo and Ogun have paid back N359million to EFCC. What happened was that while ₦802m was voted for bribery of INEC officials and NGOs in Oyo State to change presidential poll results, about N629m was dished out in Ogun State,

“But some of these beneficiaries in Oyo and Ogun were suspicious of the sources of the funds. They cooperated and went to the designated Fidelity Bank branches and collected the cash. Instead of spending it, they sought the service of lawyers who advised them to open accounts to keep the cash in case there are issues in the future.

“When this matter came up, the lawyers assisted in locating the funds and the ₦359million was refunded.

“We are working on other beneficiaries to recover the slush funds.”