EFCC conducts search in Ikoyi flats owned by Peter Obi, Adamu Muazu and others over seized N13billion

Some flats in the Ikoyi building where N13 billion was discovered on April 12, has been reportedly searched by the men of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commision EFCC yesterday, April 18, 2017.

On of the flats searched was own by a former governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi, and another one belongs to the former PDP chairman Adamu Muazu. That of the former NNPC Managing Director (Retail) Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue was not left out.

Recall that Sahara reported had initially reported that the money belongs to two of the above mentioned. Some other people's flats including unoccupied ones were also searched by the antigraft agency.

Speaking to the press, the former Anambra governor's spokesperson, Valentine Obienyem confirmed the search operation by the agency last night.

He said the flat owned by the former Governor Peter Obi was rented by his wife, Margaret Obi and he lodges in the flat anytime he has any engagement in Lagos State.

The statement released reads thus:

“The media aide to former Governor Mr. Peter Obi has confirmed the search by the EFCC of Flat 1, occupied by the former governor in the building where the agency discovered large sums of money.

"The apartment was rented by the wife of the former governor and it is where Mr. Obi usually stays anytime he is in Lagos. Even though Mr. and Mrs Obi had travelled to the USA and the UK for speaking engagements, when we relayed the message of the search to him, he quickly sent the keys to the four-bedroom apartment to the EFCC via courier.

"He even left instructions that we should allow them to also search his Onitsha residence should there be a need for that. After the thorough search, nothing was found in the apartment."

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Ex-governor invited by the EFCC over alleged recovered $43 million in Ikoyi.

It has been reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has gotten details its wanted on how the controversial recovered $43.4million cash was kept in an apartment in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.

According to The Nation report, detectives are set to question an ex-governor over the retrieves fund in the Ikoyi mansion, Lagos.

It was also reported that a few high-profile owners of houses in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos will have to be interrogated over the issue.

The EFCC was said to be suspecting that some landlords or tenants within the areas.

According to a source who said: “The more we investigate this $43.4m haul, the more we get fresh facts. It has become imperative to interact with some owners or tenants of apartments in the Towers.

“We have invited a former governor and other high-profile owners and tenants for interaction. It is just to ask a few questions on whether or not they were aware of such movement of cash.

“We have clues linking some occupants of the Towers to the cash haul. And in line with sections 16 and 17 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004, we are inviting these landlords or tenants.

“Unless we get to the root of this case, Nigerians may not know the truth or otherwise about the cash.

“We are not saying that those invited are guilty of any infraction or having link with the $43.4million but we need to hear from them – in line with the ongoing profiling of those in the Towers.”

Another source says that the security operatives discovered that the 7B Apartment was acquired in the name of a firm supposedly owned by a senior government official's wife.

“Since investigation is still ongoing, we will not release the identity of the owner of the company. Doing so might jeopardise investigation,” the source said, adding that the EFCC had interacted with “some people from the company.”

A source from the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) said: “What happened was that because of the nature of the covert operations which the apartment will be used for, it was necessary to manage the process well.

“Only the Deed of Assignment was acquired by Thabis Ventures Limited on behalf of NIA. And immediately the process for the purchase of the apartment was completed, the ownership was clearly stated in the name of NIA. All the papers are reflecting NIA too, he said, adding: “The title document is available for anyone to verify.”

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Rivers State Government claims ownership of Ikoyi $43 million found by EFCC

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, came to say the $43 million allegedly found by EFCC belongs to his state and had has given the Federal Government 7 days ultimatum of to return the money which was found in an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos State.

It says failure to return the money by the FG, the State Government will embark on legal measures to ensure in order to get back her stolen resources, claiming that the $43million dollars found in the Ikoyi luxury home belongs to the Rivers State Government.

Speaking to the Press at the State House in Port Harcourt on Friday, Governor Wike claimed that investigations carried out by the Rivers State Government revealed that the allegedly discovered money by EFCC was the proceed realized from the sale of gas turbines by the former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi.

He said: "The money in question belongs to the former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. We want to confirm that the houses in Ikoyi also belong to Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

"If you recollect in 2015, we said that gas turbines built by Former Governor Peter Odili were sold to Sahara Energy, business partners of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi at $319million.

"That money was used to sponsor the All Progressives Congress for the 2015 general elections. From the date of sale of the gas turbines to May 29, 2015, the money depleted from $319million to $204,000.

"What was stashed at the Ikoyi residence was part of that fund.

"We have facts to prove that the said money belongs to the Rivers State Government. The Federal Government must return our money."

Governor Wike accused the FG of peddling false stories about the money belonging to the National Intelligence Agency. He says they are false and shameless measures taken by the embattled APC Federal Government to save its name.

Wike said: "As I speak to you, the Federal Government is so embarrassed that this has happened. All the stories that the money belongs to the NIA are fake."

The Rivers State Governor challenged the FG to set up a panel of Inquiry, which should publicly sit to investigate the source of the money, if it refuses to believe his claim.

Wike further added that the Rivers State Government needed funds to complete a lot of projects, maintaining that on no account would this criminal activity be covered up. He said as long as the FG continues with its disturbance against the progress of Rivers State, confusion will never ends in the Federal Government part.

He said: "We are giving them seven days to return our money. Otherwise, we would take legal action to recover our money. $43million will help us complete several projects. We need that money for projects."

Simeon Nwakaudu, who is the special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor, Electronic Media April 4, 2017 releases the statements.

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Court orders temporary forfeiture of $50 million cash found by EFCC to FG

The Lagos Federal High Court has approved a temporary forfeited of the $38million, N23million and £27,000, recovered by the operatives Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a home located at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos to the Nigerian government.

In a court hearing presided by Justice Muslim Hassan today, April 13, 2017, he directed that the money should be handed over to the Federal Government pending when the owner surfaces to claim his or her  possession.

The case was also adjourned til May 5, 2017.

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Sacked NNPC MD denied the ownership of $50m found by EFCC

The dismissed Managing Director at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue has refuted the claim that she's tge owner of the $50m discovered by operatives of EFCC in a home located at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

Emeka Etiaba (SAN) who is Nnamdi-Ogbue' lawyer, has released a statement on her behalf, denied ownership of the huge sum of cash and applauded the anti-graft agency for their relentless efforts in curbing corruption in the nation.

The statement read thus:

“The attention of Our Client, Mrs. Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue has been drawn to the news making round in the News Media to the effect that the large sums of money to wit: $38,000,000.00 (Thirty-Eight Million Dollars), N23,000,000.00 (Twenty-Three Million Naira) and £27,000.00 (Twenty-Seven Thousand Pounds) uncovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) from an apartment in Osborne Towers, Osborne Road, Ikoyi Lagos, Lagos State belong to her.

"By this Press Release, we inform the public (especially the News Media) that the said sums of money and/or the apartment where the sums of money were found do not belong to Our Client.

"Our Client is as shocked as many other Nigerians at the uncovering and recovery of the said sums of money and wishes to salute the courage and efforts of the EFCC in the war against corruption.

"She also wishes to commend the whistle blowing policy introduced by the Federal Government in the fight against corruption which policy has resulted in large scale uncovering and recovery of monies and assets.

"It is Our Client’s belief that the source and ownership of the said uncovered sums of money is known or eventually will be known by the EFCC in due course. There is, therefore, no need for conjecture or speculation."

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Dismissed NNPC Managing Director linked with the $50m retreived By EFCC

Recall that Tellforceblog reported that the anti-graft agency, EFCC recovered some amount of money which were seen in different currencies yesterday. The cash in question retrieved were $38 million, N23 million and£27,000, stashed in a home at Ikoyi, Lagos State.

Sahara Reporters has come out to report that a source has disclosed to them that Dismissed NNPC Managing director, Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue purportedly owns the $50m retrieved by the anti-graft agency in the residential building located at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi.

Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue was sacked together with three other top Managing Directors at the NNPC over the “missing” petrol scandal linking Capital Oil & Gas Nigeria Limited possessed by a Nigerian businessman, Ifeanyi Ubah.

There was also a report that Nnamdi-Ogbue’s cook, Gabel Segbedji, who is a national of Benin Republic fled with one of her car (Toyota Camry), cash and pieces of jewelry worth $6million last year.

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Video&Photo: EFCC discovers $38m, N23m and £27k hidden in an Ikoyi home

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC has discovered another huge amount of money today.

It was reported by the anti-graft agency that the money in different currencies includes $38 million, N23 million and £27,000 was found stashed in an Ikoyi home, in Lagos State.

However, the agency is yet to disclose the owner of the house where the stashed cash was found.

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Photos: EFCC found another N250m cash in Lagos Balogun market

 A tip got from a whist blower today has driven agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to intercept colossal amount of cash in different currencies at the well-known Balogun market in Lagos. The cash in all was about N250 million money, which includes €547,730, £21,090 and ₦5,648,500.

The source who gave the tip to the EFCC told them that the location of the N250 million money was changed to somewhere inside the market, so as to convert it to foreign currencies by anonymous people.

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

Agents reacted promptly and could find the store where the cash was kept in a Bureau de Change, BDC, office in Balogun advertise. Notwithstanding, when they arrived, a portion of the Naira had already been changed to Euro and Pounds sterling.

The two BDC operators found possessing the monies asserted that the cash was sent to them by their manager from a Northern state in Nigeria.

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

EFCC says the two operators are cooperative and assisting the Commission in its further investigations.

Also read: N49 million cash intercepted by EFCC at Kaduna Airport

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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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N49 million cash intercepted by EFCC at Kaduna Airport

In a country where begging is fast becoming a day Job, people are almost recruiting themselves for begging. 

Graduates moves aimlessly in the street looking for where to prove their abilities, yet, we have some sets of people involving themselves in money laundry.

On Tuesday, March 14, 2017, the sum of N 49 million has been intercepted by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission during the process of moving it out of country through the airport.

In a statement released by the Spokesman for the anty-graft agency, Wilson Uwujaren, the cash was found during a routine baggage screening.

According to the available information, the money was packaged into five unmarked and unaccompanied large black coloured Buhu sags.

He said: "Upon examination, the bags were found to contain fresh crispy Naira notes of N200 denomination in 20 bundles totaling N40 million and N50 denomination in 180 bundles totaling N9 million with seal purportedly emanating from the Nigeria Security and Minting Plc (NSPM) as seen in the labeled sealed packs."

The EFCC spokesman said investigation is currently ongoing to fetch out the culprits behind the attempted illegal movement of the cash.

See pictures below:

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