Investigation

The immediate-past governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, has pleaded not guilty to the nine charges of money laundering preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The alleged money laundering is to the tune of N4,008,573,350.

He was said to have moved the amount from security votes into different accounts.

The offences were said to have been committed between March 2014 and March 2022.

When the charges were read to him upon his arraignment on Wednesday, the former governor pleaded not guilty to all the nine counts.

Some of the counts read, “That you, Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, whilst being the executive governor of Anambra State of Nigeria between March 2014 – March 2022, sometime between 7th February, 2018 to 18th February, 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly transferred through Mr Willie Nwokoye, your then principal private secretary, the sum of N156,800.00 only from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account into an belonging to C.I. Patty Ventures Nigeria Limited (an entity that had no business relationship with the Anambra State Government), which funds were dissipated for purposes unrelated / unconnected with the security affairs of Anambra State, which you reasonably ought to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, to wit: (Stealing and Corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) in 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.

“That you, Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, whilst being the executive governor of Anambra State of Nigeria between March 2014 — March 2022, sometime between 9th August, 2017 to 4th March, 2020 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly transferred through Mr Willie Nwokoye, your then principal private secretary, the sum of N261,268,585.00 only from the Anambra State Government Security Vote to another country belonging to Easy Diamond Integrated Link (an entity that had no business relationship with the Anambra State Government), which funds were dissipated for purposes unrelated / unconnected with the security affairs of Anambra State, which you reasonably ought to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, to wit: (Stealing and Corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) in 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”

Immediate-past Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, has arrived at the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.

He arrived in the company of some officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC where he spent the night following his detention on Tuesday.

The EFCC is expected to arraign him this Wednesday, over alleged money laundering to the tune of N4,008,573,350.

The development comes over a week after the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, vowed to review all abandoned high-profile cases, especially those involving former governors and ministers.

The accountant general was quizzed by EFCC interrogators for several hours at the anti-graft agency’s headquarters, Jabi, Abuja, but was later released.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has interrogated the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Oluwatoyin Madein, and some members of staff of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs over alleged N585.2 million fraud in the ministry.

An EFCC source told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Ms Madein and some other members of staff were invited over an alleged link to the alleged N585.2 million case involving the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu.

The source said that the AGF was quizzed by EFCC interrogators for several hours at the anti-graft agency’s headquarters, Jabi, Abuja, but was later released.

The source said that Mr Madein was queried over the payment of N585.2 million of government funds from the ministry into the private bank account of a government official.

Ms Madein, according to the source, told interrogators that she did not approve the memo from the minister, Ms Edu, for the payment into a private account.

“She was grilled for several hours on Monday over the payment of N585.2 million from the National Social Investment Office (NSIO) account to the UBA account of Bridget Oniyelu, the Accountant of the Grants for Vulnerable Groups under the ministry.

“She told the investigators that she didn’t approve Edu’s memo for payment into private accounts.

“She was not detained, and was released with no condition after she made her explanation in writing to the investigators during interrogation.”

The source said some ministry officials were invited to explain their involvement in the exercise, adding that some were quizzed and released while others were detained depending on the level of their involvement.

“I don’t know how many of them were released or being detained but some of them were still in custody depending on their involvement,” the source said.

A leaked memo had revealed how Ms Edu, in December 2023, allegedly requested Ms Madein to transfer the money from NSIO account to the UBA account of Ms Oniyelu, the accountant of the Grants for Vulnerable Groups under the ministry.

The AGF, however, in a statement, countered the claim by the suspended minister

United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has been described as a bank Nigerians in the diaspora should avoid at any cost. A Nigerian-born Japanese investor of international repute, Osabuohien Ese Imasuan, in a petition to President Ahmed Bola Tinubu narrated how Tony-Elumelu’s UBA seized his legitimate fund totaling $900,000,000 (Nine Hundred Million Dollars) which was paid into his UBA Account No. 3000271285.

According to information exclusively obtained by LeadingReporters, the victim, via an appeal to President Tinubu’s private investigator narrated how a legitimate investment fund, paid into his UBA account was withheld by the bank on the instructions of Mr., Tony Elumelu.   He said UBA connived with the then Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emiefele to withhold his business funds which he repatriated to Nigeria from Japan.

According to information privy to LeadingReporters, Mr. Imasaun said that UBA, via a text message, after much pressure, notified him that a ban on his account had been lifted and he was free to transact, only for him to get to the bank and could not assess his funds.

Narrating his ordeal, Mr. Imasaun described himself as a legitimate international businessman who has chains of verifiable businesses in Japan, South Korea and other parts of the world.  According to the letter, exclusively obtained by LeadingReporters, Mr. Imasaun said he is a businessman based in Japan and trading under Imasaun Investment Japan Limited, with a registered office situated at No. 405364, Iwai Cho Hodo Gaya Ku Tokohama Shi Kana Japan.

Mr. Imasaun said he is a well-known international businessman who has resided in Japan for over 18 years without any criminal record, via his resident permit No. RC77047731HA and trades on Forex which in turn attracts commissions and other investible returns.

Mr. Imasaun said that his love for Nigeria and to contribute his quota towards national growth through a series of investments, he decided to warehouse some proceeds of his legitimate funds through UBA, unknown to him that the security of his fund is not safe with his choice bank.

He said the plan was a deliberate attempt to mess him up and cow him into forfeiting his hard-earned money.  He said he regretted not heeding the earlier warning given to him that UBA was a bank with questionable credentials, despite the media hype and strategic branding of Mr. Tony Elumelu.

Meanwhile, a Texas-based pro-investment Group, The League of Patriots has appealed to President Tinubu to wade into the matter in a view to compelling Mr. Tony Elumelu to release Mr. Imasaun Funds, with all the interests and profits accruable to the fund, since it is obvious, they have been trading with the said fund since the fund was kept in their care.

Barry Nwani, the spokesman of the group, following the League’s Zoom meeting communique said the group would not hesitate to mobilize all its members in the USA, Europe, and Asia to blacklist UBA and other banks that frustrate the efforts of Nigerians in diaspora from bringing in legitimate fund and investing in their home country.

He described Tony Elumelu’s philanthropic activities as a smokescreen peculiar with economic hitmen and jackals.

All efforts to reach UBA to have its say on the allegations proved unsuccessful as texts and calls made to the public affairs department of the bank, through their spokesman Mr. Ramon Nasir were not responded to.

Both Edu and her predecessor are expected back at the Commission’s office today (Wednesday) as anti-graft investigators deepen probe over alleged financial malfeasance against the duo.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has seized the travel documents of suspended minister Betta Edu and her predecessor Sadiya Umar-Farouq who are being probed for various alleged financial malfeasance during their separate stewardship of the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry. 

Betta was grilled by anti-graft investigators for over 10 hours on Tuesday at the EFCC headquarters in Jabi, Abuja. The 37-year-old was interrogated over alleged N585m disbursement fraud.

After the marathon interrogation, the embattled minister was released on bail late Tuesday but asked to report everyday to the EFCC office daily over the matter.

Both Edu and her predecessor are expected back at the Commission’s office on Wednesday anytime from 11am for further interrogation.

The embattled minister came alongside her aides and lawyer and is currently facing EFCC investigators.

Edu’s appearance at the EFCC office came barely a day after she was suspended by President Bola Tinubu.

Edu was caught in a N585m disbursement scandal involving the humanitarian affairs ministry, attracting widespread criticisms from rights groups and activists.

The predicament of the 37-year-old was worsened when the Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, confirmed that although her office received a request from the humanitarian ministry to make certain payments, her office did not act on it.

On Monday, the President wielded his big stick and suspended the 37-year-old with immediate effect, making his party’s ex-national women leader the first to be removed from his 48-man cabinet inaugurated last August.

The President also ordered EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, “to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transactions” involving the ministry and “one or more agencies thereunder”.

Edu, 37, the youngest in the President’s cabinet before her suspension, was a fast-rising Amazon in the political space having occupied state and national offices at a young age.

Before her ministerial appointment last August, she was Cross River State Commissioner for Health and the National Women Leader of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC). Edu was a prominent figure in the campaign train of Tinubu, the then APC presidential candidate, during the electioneering process that brought the ex-Lagos governor into office as President.

Edu clinched her ministerial appointment about three months after Tinubu was sworn in as President. Her tenure as minister was, however, short-lived barely six months after, perhaps the shortest tenure by a minister in a long while.

Umar-Farouq’s Interrogation Continues

Meanwhile, the EFCC further quizzed Edu’s predecessor, Umar-Farouq, on Tuesday, the second straight day. The ex-minister is being probed over an alleged laundering of N37.1 billion during her tenure as a minister.

She was allowed to go home on Tuesday after a marathon interrogation and is expected to return on Wednesday for further clarifications on sundry issues that the Commission flagged in the course of its preliminary investigations.

A 70-year-old piggery farmer and elder with a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Ijebu Igbo, headquarters of Ijebu North Local Government Area, simply identified as Pa Adeife Ifelaja, has been abducted by kidnappers.

Pa Adeife is said to have been held in the kidnappers’ den nine days after he was abducted at his residence in Ijebu Igbo on the night of December 31, 2023 while preparing to go for the Crossover service to usher in the New Year.

An impeccable source told our correspondent that the abductors had reached out to the family and demanded a ransom of N50m.

The source said, “Yes, it is true that Pa Adeife was kidnapped on the night of Sunday, December 31, 2023 while preparing for the Crossover service. I learnt that the abductors are asking for N50m which the family said it was huge. I heard they were negotiating for N10m but I don’t know if the ransom was paid. The incident was reported at the Ijebu Igbo police station”.

The Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, confirmed the incident saying that the state command operatives were leaving nothing to chance to ensure the farmer was released and reunited with his family.

Alamutu said, “Honestly the police have been working to get the man released, we are on it even when the kidnappers have been trying to mislead us about their location but we are on their trail and very soon, we shall achieve success.”

The President, Bola Tinubu on Monday suspended the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Betta Edu following widespread anger over an alleged N585 million scandal.
A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale said.

“In line with his avowed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians, President Bola Tinubu suspends the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr.
Betta Edu, from office with immediate effect.”

LeadingReporters gathered that Tinubu on Sunday directed a comprehensive inquiry into the alleged N585m scandal in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Pover

Gunmen on Sunday invaded Sagwari Layout Estate in the Dutse axis of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), kidnapping no fewer than 10 persons.

According to eyewitnesses, the kidnappers, dressed like herders, invaded the estate in the evening around 7:30 pm.

From the information gathered, eight people were kidnapped from the estate, while two members of staff were abducted from a nearby hotel.

One of the victims who sent a distress message to the estate’s WhatsApp group had said his family was in danger before he stopped responding to messages a few minutes later.

Security operatives have already been mobilised and are working with the estate security guards to search the hills behind the estate.

A security operative who was beaten and tied by the kidnappers has been rescued.

FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, could not be reached for comments. Repeated calls made to her phone were left unanswered.

However, a call placed on the Police emergency call centre, revealed that the command was aware of the incident, and the closest Divisional Police Officer (DPO) had been informed to mobilise men to the scene.

Former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouk, has arrived at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to meet with interrogators over an ongoing probe into the N37,170,855,753.44 allegedly laundered during her tenure in office, through a contractor, James Okwete.

Our correspondent confirmed the arrival of the ex-minister at about 10 am on Monday.

Meanwhile, at about 10:20 am, the former Minister tweeted about her presence at the EFCC headquarters.

“I have, at my behest, arrived at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to honour the invitation by the anti-graft agency to offer clarifications in respect of some issues that the commission is investigating,” Umar-Farouq tweeted on Monday morning.

LeadingReporters had earlier reported that, citng health challenges, the former Minister had earlier officially written to the EFCC seeking an extension of the deadline to meet with EFCC interrogators over an ongoing probe into the N37,170,855,753.44 allegedly laundered during her tenure in office, through a contractor, Okwete.