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Buhari’s anti-corruption war records just one conviction (Part 1)

Nigeria continues to await the outcome of some of the high profile cases being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that borders on corruption and money laundering. Since President Mohammed Buhari started his anti-corruption campaign after assuming office in May 2015 no single high profile conviction on Corruption has been done.

The only conviction was that of former Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Director-General Temisan Raymond Omatseye who was sentenced to five years imprisonment over N1.5 billion contract scam on May 27, 2016.

With so many high profile cases in court, one would have expected some of these accused to be facing the wrath of the law by now.

 

Below is a list of some of the cases :

 

Dasukigate

The most popular trial in Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign and one the biggest money laundering scandals  in Nigeria’s history. Colonel Sambo Dasuki through his office as the National Security Adviser under President Goodluck Johnathan administration was alleged to have diverted $2.1billion meant for arm procurement to combat Boko Haram terrorists .

Colonel Sambo Dasuki is being tried alongside former Director of Finance and Administration, Office of the National Security Adviser, Shuaibu Salisu; former General Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Babakusa and two firms: Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.

The case is to continue on July 11, 2016, after being adjourned on July 4, 2016, due to the absence of the counsel to the second defendant.

Colonel Sambo Dasuki mentioned high profile individuals in his confession statement. Some of whom  are being tried in connection with the case, many of them have close ties with the immediate past administration of President Goodluck Johnathan.  Other notable individuals being fingered  in connection with the case includes;

 

Raymond Dokpesi

The media entrepreneur was nabbed at his Abuja residence on December 1, 2015, by the EFCC in connection with the arms mess having been indicted by Col. Dasuki.

Preliminary evidence showed that Dokpesi received N2.1 billion between October 2014 and March 2015 from the Office of the NSA with no coherent reasons for the financial transaction.

In his defence, he said the money received from the Office of the NSA was payment for media and political campaign for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan.

His trial was stalled before a Federal High Court in Abuja on June 15, due to the absence of the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN).

The case has been adjourned till October 19 for commencement of trial

 

Olisa Metuh

Olisa Metuh was alleged to have collected N400 million naira from the former NSA boss Colonel   Dasuki, and he  has been on trial since January 2016. The trial  has taken different dramatic angles, from destruction of evidences to allegation of torture. Recently, he offered to refund the the N400 million to the Nigerian government.

He is scheduled to appear before the court on July 7 (which is now a public holiday).

 

Attahiru Bafarawa Former Sokoto governor (N4.6bn)

Preliminary evidence showed that Bafarawa received N4.6 billion from the office of the NSA with no clear basis for the financial transaction. In response to the allegation, Bafarawa said he received the money from the Office of the NSA for spiritual purpose.

 

Nduka Obaigbena (N650m)

The owner of Arise TV and ThisDay publisher allegedly got N650m, which was debunked by the management in a statement on December 12, 2015.

In its response to an invitation letter from the EFCC, the management said all funds received from the Office of the NSA, “are payments for compensation to mitigate the dastardly Boko Haram twin bombings of the ThisDay Newspapers offices in Abuja and Kaduna on Thursday April 26, 2012.”

He had reportedly returned a chunk of the money to government.

 

Bashir Yuguda (N1.5bn)

Preliminary evidence showed that the Former Minister of State for Finance received N1.5 billion from the Office of the NSA with no coherent basis for the financial transaction. The money was transferred into his account through an unknown company for inexplicable purpose.

 

Saliu Atawodi (N600m)

The Air Vice Marshal, a former Chairman of the Presidential Implementation Committee on Marine, was accused of illegally diverting N600 million meant for the procurement of military boats for use in fighting insurgency.

 

Chief Olu Falae (N100m)

The former presidential and Afenifere leader admitted receiving the sum for election campaigns of his party (Social Democratic party, SDP), adding that the money was received based on certain conditions and were transmitted to his party as soon as he got it.

 

Chief Bode George (N100m)

PDP chieftain, Bode George, was implicated in the arms deal mess to having collected N100 million from former minister of state for finance, Bashir Yuguda.

He denied the allegation, however, stating that he only collected $30,000 (N5.9m) from Yuguda for logistics.

 

Peter Odili (N100m)

A source at the EFCC revealed that the former Rivers governor was fingered by Dasuki as being a beneficiary of the largesse. He was said to have received N100m to ensure Jonathan was re-elected into office.

 

Chief Tony Anenih (N260m)

The former chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) is alleged to have received N260m from the Office of the NSA.

The EFCC alleged that the sum of N260m found in the PDP leader’s account, was from the $2.1bn arms funds.

 

Rashidi Ladoja (N100m)

The former Oyo governor was fingered to have got N100m from Chief Tony Anenih; a claim that has since been confirmed by his Accord Party.

 

Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi (N100m)

Elder-statesman and Special Adviser to former president Shehu Shagari who openly supported former president Jonathan, was said to have got N100m.

 

Jim Nwobodo (N100m)

The former Anambra governor, who was the Chairman of the Contact Committee of the PDP Presidential Campaign for the Southeast denied the N500m figures making the rounds.

He said the only fund received by the committee for its work was N100million from PDP’s National Chairman, Dr. Adamu Mu’azu for “campaign logistics”.

 

Others, including companies are :

-Ahmadu Ali (N100m)

-Yerima Abdullahi (N100m)

-Alhaji Tanko Yakassai (N63m)

-Gen. Bello Sarkin Yaki (N200m)

-Former Senate President, Dr Iyorchia Ayu (N345m)

-Ex-PDP National Chairman Mohammed Bello Haliru and his son, Abba Mohammed (N300m)

-Former Chairman of the House of Representatives on Security and Intelligence, Bello Matawalle (N300m)

-BAM Properties (N300m)

-Dalhatu Investment Limited (N1.5b)

-Acacia Holdings (N600m)

No one connected to the case has been convicted so far after all the drama in and out of court and media hype that the cases have received.

 

NIMASA N2.6Billion Scam

Former Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Patrick Ziadeke Akpobolokemi and five other staff of the agency are currently standing trial on a 22-count charge for allegedly stealing the sum of N2.6 billion belonging to NIMASA.

Akpobolokemi on December 14 was granted bail and rearrested by operatives of the EFCC within the Court premesis in a dramatic turn of event.

Akpobolokemi his awaiting trial and still in EFCC custody.

 

Saraki’s False Asset Declaration

Senate president Mr Bukola Saraki has been on trial in the Code of Conduct tribunal for allegedly operating a foreign bank account while he was Governor, a punishable offence under the code of conduct act for public office holders. The trial which has been adjourned on several occasion is expected to resume on July 13 2016.

 

N195 Billion Maina Pension Scam

Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Force, Alhaji Abdurasheed Maina has been accused of  misappropriating  billions of naira worth of pension funds. He was declared wanted On the 2nd November 2015.

Nigerians hope that justice will be served duly and appropriately and the list of individuals alleged to have stolen public funds will be released soon.

Encomium

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