•Company begins probe of contract awards in presidency, NASS, judiciary, others
•To arraign Hadi Sirika subsequent week over alleged N8 billion fraud
Iyobosa Uwugiaren and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Chairman of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, yesterday, went the additional mile to clear insinuations surrounding the upcoming trial of the previous Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, saying he personally spoke to the ex-governor and guaranteed him requisite courtesies could be prolonged to him.
Olukoyede spoke in Abuja whereas briefing journalists on the innovation, restructuring agenda, and different developments in some sectors of the financial system.
The EFCC chairman, who addressed extensively the continuing trial of Bello, additionally stated because of the fee’s reform agenda, it had created a Fraud Threat Evaluation and Management Division via which it flagged off a probe of the presidency, Nationwide Meeting, the judiciary, and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), amongst different companies.
EFCC additionally scheduled to arraign a former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, in courtroom subsequent week, THISDAY gathered.
The EFCC chairman defined that the fee had not damaged any regulation in in search of to prosecute Bello. He stated the judgement of the Kogi State Excessive Courtroom solely offered it with the result in file the case on the Federal Excessive Courtroom.
He stated Nigerians should come collectively to struggle the scourge of corruption, and added that the fee gave the previous governor a protracted rope in its investigations.
Olukoyede said, “Because the chairman, I personally known as the previous governor and gave him all due respect, together with permitting him to be interrogated in my workplace, however the man declined.
“If I fail to research and prosecute Yahaya Bello, I’d not have the ethical proper to prosecute others, together with the previous governor of Anambra State, Mr. Willie Obiano, and the previous governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed.
“The fee is monitoring all these concerned in someway within the Yahaya Bello saga. We’re watching them and we’ll prosecute all of them on the proper time. If they’ve immunity right now, they won’t have immunity tomorrow.”
He additionally spoke on the Fraud Threat Evaluation and Management Division via which the fee had commenced probe of some authorities companies.
Olukoyede stated, “We’ve begun with the State Home as a result of we imagine it’s not a spot we can’t go to. We met with the president not too long ago, and he requested us to go and do our work. And we wrote to his Chief of Workers to furnish us with the method of awarding contracts and inside every week, he replied.
“We additionally wrote to the Nationwide Meeting to furnish us with the method of awarding contracts and the vehicles they purchase and, surprisingly, they replied. The identical factor with the Chief Justice of the Federation.
“It’s not concerning the investigations and the convictions we’ve got secured however concerning the supply of this crime. The extra I prosecute individuals, the extra I recuperate cash, however the extra we face this downside.”
Whereas interesting to the media and civil society organisations to help the fee’s marketing campaign in opposition to corruption, Olukoyede hinted that EFCC had recovered about N120 billion within the final six months, and was unrelenting in its actions.
He said, “We are going to obtain all of the assaults, however we’ll by no means hand over. We are going to proceed to do our work till we’re requested to step apart. My attraction is that we should see the necessity to work collectively.
“If EFCC fails, it’s our nation that fails. The struggle in opposition to corruption is about all of us. A thousand EFCC can’t do something if we don’t get the help of Nigerians.”
The EFCC chairman stated having adopted a specific pattern in investigating financial crimes previously, the fee was making an attempt to make sure prevention as a method of tackling the crime.
He stated if the nation wouldn’t deal with the prevention of monetary crimes, a thousand of EFCC and ICPC couldn’t safe a reprieve for Nigeria.
“Gents, if we don’t deal with our processes and procedures a thousand EFCC and ICPC can’t obtain,” Olukoyede said.
He added that by blocking the leakages, the anti-corruption warfare would obtain the wanted bounce.
“On the primary be aware, we’ve got launched into some restructuring. We should perceive that we have to come collectively and struggle this battle,” he stated.
The EFCC boss additionally stated his males would quickly start full probe into the actions of unlawful miners, including that it might prosecute all these concerned in illegally carting away the nation’s assets. He disclosed that some 40 vans of illegally mined lithium had already been apprehended in Kwara State.
Olukeyede stated the fee had additionally recovered the sum of N120 billion within the final six months, and wouldn’t relent in its actions.
Alleged N8bn Fraud: EFCC to Arraign Sirika
EFCC scheduled to arraign former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, in courtroom subsequent week, THISDAY learnt.
Sirika will face fees in reference to an ongoing investigation associated to fraud and cash laundering amounting to N8,069,176,864.00.
The previous minister was on the Federal Capital Territory Command of the anti-graft company round 1:00pm yesterday.
Upon his arrival, he was grilled by EFCC operatives over alleged fraudulent contracts he authorised for an organization known as Engirios Nigeria Restricted, owned by his youthful sibling, Abubakar Sirika.
Abubakar Sirika is a deputy director on the Federal Ministry of Water Assets.
A supply near the investigation stated Sirika was questioned with regard to ongoing investigations by the company.
“We invited him to ask him questions in relation to our investigations. He will likely be charged to courtroom subsequent week,” the supply stated.
EFCC investigations confirmed that Sirika awarded contracts to his brother, Abubakar, understanding that the latter was a civil servant, a deputy director on Degree 16 within the Federal Ministry of Water Assets, the place he had been working since 2000.
The primary of the controversial contracts from the previous minister to Engirios Nigeria Restricted was on August 18, 2022 for the development of Terminal Constructing at Katsina Airport, at the price of N1,345,586,500.
The second was awarded on November 3, 2022 for the institution of Hearth Truck Upkeep and Refurbishment Centre at Katsina Airport, valued at N3.8 billion.
The third contract was on February 3, 2023 for the procurement and instalment of lifts, air conditioners and energy generator’s home in Aviation Home, Abuja, at the price of N615 million.
The fourth was awarded on Could 5, 2023 for the procurement of Magnus Plane and simulator for Nigerian Faculty of Aviation Know-how, Zaria, at the price of N2.2 billion.
The supply said that out of the overall contract sum, the ex-minister paid out N3.2 billion to his youthful brother’s Engirios Nigerian Restricted, who upon the receipt of the cost, transferred it to completely different firms and people.
“There is no such thing as a hint of labor accomplished on any of the contract objects until date,” the supply stated.