-As Nigeria's anti-corruption boss Ibrahim Lamorde denied allegations that $5bn (£3.2bn) has gone missing at the commission he heads.
Former Chairmen of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission – Nuhu Ribadu and Farida Waziri – and the incumbent Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Lamorde, were on Wednesday fingered in the alleged diversion of N2.051 trillion meant for the Federal Government.This was revealed at the commencement of the investigative hearing of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions into the alleged disappearance of the fund.
Former Chairmen of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission – Nuhu Ribadu and Farida Waziri – and the incumbent Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Lamorde, were on Wednesday fingered in the alleged diversion of N2.051 trillion meant for the Federal Government.This was revealed at the commencement of the investigative hearing of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions into the alleged disappearance of the fund.
According to the petitioner, Gorge Uboh, who appeared before the Committee to unveil shocking alleged mismanagement of funds by the Commission, the monies recovered by the Commission during Ribadu’s tenure as the chairman of the Commission from former Governor of Bayelsa State, D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha, were not mentioned in the exhibit records.
Uboh said the Commission got N3.7 billion from former governor, but remitted N3.1 billion into government’s purse.
Uboh also accused the commission of doctoring its accounts with Access Bank from time to time.
Farida Waziri, former Chairperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commisssion
Uboh said on on Naira recoveries alone: “In a December 02, 2011 letter EFCC sent to the Chairman, House Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes, EFCC stated that the aggregate recoveries from 2004 to 2011 (8 financial years) was N1,326,754,554,482:80. EFCC did not mention where the N1.3 Trillion recovered was remitted to. EFCC’s claim that it did not recover up to a Trillion is complete false.”
Uboh gave the breakdown as follows:
2004—N7,070,693,130:00
2005—N965,651,737,039:00
2006—N6,622,261,783:79
2007—N7,700,150,381:20
2008—N18,141,628,546:98
2009—N130,885,187,726:83
2010—N52,877,464,867:00
2011—N137,805,431,008:08
He disclosed further: “In EFCC’s “SUMMARY OF EFCC MONETARY RECOVERIES 2003-MARCH, 2013” (11 financial years), EFCC stated that the aggregate recoveries for eleven financial years is N497,385,427,485:63; EFCC did not mention where the N497.3 Billion recovered was remitted to, going by the following breakdown-
2003—N974,783,213:06
2004—N21,018,557,263:28
2005—N71,053,996,008:60
2006—N8,199,908,189:03
2007—N41,479,032,319:70
2008—N44,542,822,622:30
2009—N255,306,693,033:55
2010—N10,559,513,355:91
2011—N11,117,460,717:88
2012—N27,844,769,688:19
2013—N5,287,891,074:13
Uboh, who stated that the documents submitted were prepared under the chairmanship of Lamorde, went further to disclose that total recoveries to be remitted as confirmed by the EFCC are 1.995 Trillion + 48.9 Billion + 7.3 Billion + .4 Billion =N 2.051 Trillion, asking: “AFTER RECOVERING OVER 2 TRILLION HOW DID THE FUNDS MELT AWAY?”
He went further by alleging that in defrauding the nation of seized funds from corrupt Nigerians under investigation, the EFCC under Lamorde also indulged in doctoring of Bank Accounts and diversion of already seized loots.
A Senate committee is investigating charges that assets and cash recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were diverted.
Mr Lamorde told the BBC it was a smear campaign, as the EFCC was prosecuting the man making the allegations.
This showed that the case "should not be taken seriously".
Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, who is championing the investigation, was passed the petition by George Uboh, a security consultant.
Mr Uboh is currently fighting charges of stealing government property, which he denies.Uboh said: “Two access bank recovery account statements tendered herein show Opening balances of -0- as of 1, July 2004, but no transaction occurred until June/July 2008 respectively. These transactions are expunged Where are the funds deposited between July 2004 and June/July, 2008?
“EFCC diverted and concealed N779 Million Naira of recoveries from Tafa Balogun in its record (aggregate should be 3,037,255,521.60 – not 2,258,100,516.98); Instead of transferring 3.3 billion from Spring bank to its Access bank recovery account, EFCC transferred only 2.2 billion and concealed it by understating the summation of the balances in the various accounts hence the access bank statement had 2.2 Billion Naira after the concealment.”
POSTED BY BBC, ADDITIONAL FEATURES BYMARTINS BRUCE ON AUGUST 26, 2015
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