$15m: EFCC investigating Patience Jonathan – Magu

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, has said the agency is investigating a sum of $15,591,700, which Patience, wife of former president, Goodluck Jonathan, claimed belongs to her.

Magu said this in Lagos on Tuesday while fielding questions from journalists after an interactive session with the commission’s external lawyers and civil society organisations.

Patience Jonathan

The EFCC chairman added that some banks in the country which allegedly helped in concealing stolen money in the country would soon face trial by the commission.

“We are on it (Patience’s $15,591,700). You see, we work for the long-term. We must complete our preliminary investigations before we come out. We will not spare anybody. We cannot protect anyone form answering to the people.

EFCC Boss- Magu

“Determination is key. I believe we will go a long way. Our tomorrow is better than our today.”

Magu said banks and their officials who helped in stealing public funds would soon face trial, adding that it was unfortunate that some banks created an enabling environment for looting.

“The banking sector is creating a fertile ground for corruption. It was as if the banks told the looters, go and steal and I will hide it for you. This must stop. We will zoom in on the banks. We need to stop them from creating an enabling environment for corruption to thrive,” he added.

Melaye drags Manitoba to EFCC over alleged N13.8bn fraud

Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West Senatorial District, on the platform of ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has dragged Manitoba Hydro International Nigeria Ltd, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged diversion of N13.8 billion and abuse of Public Procurement Act.
In a petition, dated July 28, 2016, submitted to the EFCC, weekend, and received by the agency’s Head of Media and Public Affairs, Osita Nwajah, the senator accused Manitoba Hydro International Nigeria Ltd of diversion of funds, economic sabotage, criminal violation and abuse of Public Procurement Act. Melaye, through his organisation, Anti-Corruption Network, which he founded to assist in fighting corruption in the country, said his petition against the foreign company was borne out of objectives of the organisation’s desire to ensure that economic and financial crimes in the country were not only duly investigated but also prosecuted. In the petition to the anti-graft agency, Melaye, who is the Director of the anti-crime organisation, said investigations carried out uncovered several economic and financial crimes committed by Manitoba Hydro International Nigeria Ltd and also violations of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, maladministration in governance and outright disregard of best practices in the TCN by the company. The senator, who appealed to the EFCC to cause an investigation into the activities of Manitoba Hydro International Nigeria Ltd and prosecute all offences with particular attention to market fund and operations, pursuant to Section 5 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, accused Manitoba of fraudulently diverting funds in 2015, meant for trace maintenance. He also accused the company of involvement in splitting of contract to avoid the TCN Tenders Board and Ministerial Tenders Board ‘“as observed in the contract of repairs of telecommunications equipment and power stations:330kv substations   (S1 and and S2) which amounts to N247,061,796 and N248,859,350.00 respectively.” “The award of contract verbatim at the cost of N893,000,000.00 for the repair of telecommunications equipment and remote terminal units associated with PHCN (legacy)   power stations and TCN 330kv substations to various sums which were paid for, but never executed. ‘“Failure by the company to ensure probity, accountability and transparency in the management of TCN, as no audit has been conducted on the accounts of TCN since assumption of management by the company. ‘’This is in contravention of the terms of contract signed between the company and the Bureau of Public Enterprise and this has no doubt led to many irregularities in the market operations sector, “he said. Melaye called on the EFCC to advise the government to debar Manitoba for the several contraventions of provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, while acting as managers of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN.

Source: Vanguard Newspaper

EFCC probe on budget padding: SERAP asks Dogara, others to step aside

Speaker Yakubu Dogara

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives Mr Dogara Yakubu requesting him and other principal officers “suspected to be involved in the alleged budget padding to step aside pending the outcome of investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other agencies.”

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives Mr Dogara Yakubu requesting him and other principal officers “suspected to be involved in the alleged budget padding to step aside pending the outcome of investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other agencies.” Yakubu Dogara The letter dated July 29, 2016 and signed by SERAP executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni stated that, “Following confirmation received by SERAP from the EFCC that it has taken up and looking into SERAP’s petition to the body on the allegations that the leadership of the House of Representatives padded the 2016 budget to the tune of N481 billion, SERAP is now writing to request you to immediately step aside from your position as Speaker of the House of Representatives pending the out outcome of the investigation.” The letter read in part: “We also urge you to ensure that other principal officers of the House suspected to be involved in the alleged padding step aside from their positions to allow for the investigation by the EFCC and other agencies to go ahead unhindered. “SERAP has also reviewed several documents circulating on the internet on the alleged budget padding and we believe that these documents establish a prima-facie case of corruption, which deserves a thorough, transparent, independent and effective investigation by the EFCC and other agencies. “In the circumstances, SERAP calls on you to demonstrate your often-expressed commitment to transparency, accountability, constitutionalism, democratic governance and the rule of law in Nigeria by now stepping aside from your position as Speaker and to ensure that other principal officers suspected to be involved in the budget padding do the same, pending the outcome of the investigation already by the EFCC. “SERAP’s call is entirely consistent with the constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). As the supreme law of the land, all organs of government including the National Assembly are obliged to perform their functions in accordance with the constitution and other enabling laws. “SERAP agrees with the Constitutional Court of Uganda when it asserted in Constitutional Petition No. 47 of 2011 Twinobusingye Severino vs Attorney General that, ‘In modern democracies, the term ‘stepping aside’ is now generally taken as part of the responsibility of the holder of a public office in discharging his or her duty of being accountable to the people. Thus a culture has developed in modern democracies, Uganda inclusive, whereby a Public officer whose conduct in a public office is being questioned steps aside, on his or her own, to enable investigations to be carried out without his or her influence.’ “Indeed, SERAP believes that the necessity of being accountable to the people, by anyone holding a public office in Nigeria is clearly embedded in the constitution as provided under Chapter 2 titled: Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy. “Specifically, Chapter 2 provides among others that all public offices shall be held in trust for the Nigerian people; that all persons placed in positions of leadership and responsibility shall in their work be answerable to the people; and that all lawful measures shall be taken to expose, combat and eradicate corruption and abuse or misuse of power by those holding political and other public offices. “SERAP believes that the allegations of budget padding by the leadership of the House of Representatives have undermined the status of the National Assembly which is supposed to be the fountain of constitutionalism. The Speaker, as the head of the House, has a big role to play in guiding parliamentarians to embrace transparency by sending a powerful message that allegations of corruption will not be condoned, tolerated or covered up. “SERAP believes that the House of Representatives cannot function effectively nor enjoy public trust and confidence as long as the allegations of budget padding continue to trail its leadership. “By stepping aside and ensuring that others suspected to be involved in the budget padding also step aside until such a time as the investigations by the EFCC and other agencies are completed, you will be promoting acts that would enhance the integrity and respect for the National Assembly, as well as strict observance of the constitution both in letter and spirit.”

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/efcc-probe-on-budget-padding-serap-asks-dogara-others-to-step-aside/