Video/Photos: About N500 million discovered in a Plaza Shop by EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos chapter, had yesterday evening, uncovered yet another huge sum of cash in the tune of N448,850,000 (Four hundred and forty eight million, eight hundred and fifty thousand naira) suspected to have been laundered and kept in a shop at one LEGICO Shopping Plaza, located along Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island of Lagos State.

The cash in denomination of N500 and N1000, stashed in some bags commonly known as Ghana Must Go bags and hidden in a shop in the wait of converting it into foreign currency.

According to the information provided by a source who was the concerned whistle blower, men of the agency swooped into action by raiding the shopping complex and sought the details of the alleged owners of two shops, LS 64 and LS 67 which were found with locks and keys.

The two shops had signages of Bureau de Change.

Investigation carried out on the owner of shop LS 64 revealed that he had not been seen around that place for a long period, as it was claimed that the shop is yet to be opened for business and that profession has been going on for almost two years.

Several calls to reach the owner of shop LS 67 were made but there was no response.

The plaza's chairman attention and that of some traders were drawn so as to force the shops open. No money was found in shop LS 67, however, in shop LS 64, several 'Ghana Must Go' bags were discovered on the floor of the shop, stashed with bundles cash, all in a total of N448,850,000.

Some Traders who were interviewed at the premises claimed they were unaware of the existence of such money in the shop, as the place was hardly seen opening for business. EFCC is currently investigating the matter in order to get the identity of the owner and its source.

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EFCC indicts Saraki and his assistance in N19bn Paris Club scam

Senato Bukola Saraki

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) allegedly submitted a report to President Muhammadu Buhari, linking the Senate President Bukola Saraki and some of his assistants to the diversion of about N19bn from the N522bn Paris Club refund.

According to the Punch, the report also accused one Robert Mbonu of Melrose General Services Limited, an ex-Managing Director of the commercial bank owned by the Saraki’s family, Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria.

The report also stated that the Nigeria Governors Forum and Kathleen Erhimu, who is the relationship manager in Access Bank is also under investigation.

Also under investigation are Saraki’s aides Gbenga Makanjuola, Kolawole Shittu, Obiora Amobi and Oladapo Idowu.

The report claims that on an occasion in December, Saraki introduced the former bank MD, Mbonu, to Erhimu where his abovementioned aides were also present.

After the gathering, N3.5bn was lodged in a domiciled account belonging to Melrose General Services Company (account number 0005892453) in Access Bank from the Nigeria Governors Forum on December 14, 2016.

According to the report, two of Saraki’s aides, Obiora Amobi and Gbenga Makanjuola, were familiarized to Access Bank as agents of Melrose General Services Limited by Mbonu to enable them to make cash withdrawals from the account.

The withdrawals made from this account by Amobi and Makanjuola ranges from N5m to N10m.

Part of the report reads: “Based on the foregoing findings, it is clear that Robert Mbonu, the Managing Director of Melrose General Services Company and his company were used to help divert proceeds of unlawful activities under the guise of payment for contractual obligations with the Nigeria Governors Forum.

“Suffice to apprise that all payments received by Melrose General Services Company from the NGF have hitherto been diverted directly via cash withdrawals and indirectly through transfers by Gbenga Peter Makanjuola, Kolawole Shittu and Oladapo Joseph Idowu, who are principal aides to the Senate President.

“Furthermore, other payments from Melrose General Services Company have also been linked to companies that Dr. Bukola Saraki has interest in and carries out transactions with.

“This includes the sum of $183,000, which was transferred to Bhaska Devji Jewellers, Dubai, a company Dr. Bukola Saraki had repeatedly made payments to.

“Also, the sum of N200m was transferred to Wasp Networks Limited that subsequently transferred the sum of N170m to Xtract Energy Services Limited, a company that routinely made deposits into Dr. Saraki’s Access Bank US Dollar Domiciliary account.”

It then concluded that an evidence of conspiracy to retain the ensues of unlawful activities and money laundering, contrary to sections 15(3) and 18(9) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2004, could be established against the above-mentioned suspects.

Yusuph Olaniyonu, who is Special adviser to Saraki on media and publicity, said he would not act in response except he saw the report.

“Send the report to me and I will be able to read it and contact the necessary people. If I don’t see the report, I cannot react to it in abstract. Send me the report if you want our reaction,” Yusuph said.

The EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren confirmed that probes were ongoing into the Paris Club scam but said he did not know the details of the investigation.

He said: “I can only confirm that there are investigations but I don’t have details.”

Recall that the EFCC had initially refuted the claim of indicting Saraki, saying the issue was still under investigation.

EFCC said in a statement released on Monday, February 13, 2017, that not only was the story against Saraki and the governors fallacious, also allegations that officials of the agency were trying to cover up the indictments were false.

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EXPOSED: What Magu told President muhammadu Buhari about DSS accusations against him

Ibrahim Magu, the Acting Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, boss, in response to the query sent to him by attorney-general of the federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami, told President Buhari that he never did anything immoral as an officer in the commission

Ibrahim Magu

Magu also denied that he ever took abode in an apartment worth over N80million as said by the DSS

Magu never denied flying twice in the airliner of a man under investigation by the EFCC but claimed he did not know it at the time

Following the rejection of the confirmation of Ibrahim Magu as a full-time Chairman of the EFCC by the Nigerian Senate for the second time, on Thursday, March 16, 2017, Premium Times reported about the details of Ag. EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu’s reply to President Muhammadu Buhari’s query to him over accusations by DSS.

The report claimed that Magu admitted that official documents linking to cases under investigation were found in his private residence when raided (on the order of Mrs. Farida Waziri when she took over the affairs of the EFCC from Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as the chairman).

However, he claimed his action was not deliberate: “The documents found in my house were actually found in my office bag where I kept documents relating to investigations.

“I was in the process of handing over and it would be wrong to suggest that I wilfully kept the Commission’s files at home,” Magu explained.

He said, he was actually persecuted by powerful interests because of his intimacy with the ex-EFCC boss Nuhu Ribadu.

“It is important sir, to draw your attention to the fact that some of us that worked closely with Ribadu were victimised after his exit. And my ordeal was orchestrated as punishment for being the chief investigative officer for most of the high profile cases involving politically exposed persons some of whom became very influential in government at the time.”

Magu also said his job role under immediate past EFCC chairman Ibrahim Lamorde, was pure professionalism and not close working relationship with him after Waziri’s exit.

“My job schedule as Deputy Director, Department of Internal Affairs, under Lamorde, was simply handling issues of professional responsibility in the Commission. I had no inputs in core operations duties of the Commission,” he claimed.

Magu further denied living an extravagant life in an apartment allegedly worth over N40million and furnished with even more than N40 million.

He said: “The entire cost for both two-year rent and the furnishing of the house is N39.628million.

“Details of the transaction are contained in the contract award letter and payment schedule which are attached to this letter.”

Magu, the Ag. EFCC boss also admitted that he actually fly twice on the aircraft that belongs Colonel Mohammed Umar, a man who was under criminal investigation by the EFCC itself, but claime he was not aware.

“These, for me, were harmless gesture as we were both members of the presidential investigative committee on arms procurement. At the time I had no knowledge that he was under investigation for any alleged crimes.

“The claim that EFCC documents, including EFCC letters addressed to the Vice President and being investigation reports on the activities of Emmanuel Kachikwu and his brother Demebi Kachikwu, were found in his home during a search by the DSS came to me as a surprise.

“If that is correct, he should be made to disclose how he came by such documents. I never discussed my official duties with him let alone give him documents pertaining to investigations being conducted by the Commission.”

On another hand, according to Sahara Reporters, a report claims that Magu might have been a victim of power play sponsored by acts of corruption.

On Friday, March 17, in a tweet, the Sahara reporters claimed that Senators Dino Melaye and Phillip Aduda were in charge of the collection and allotment of bribes among legislators to frustrate Magu's confirmation.

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