The Economic Financial and Crime Commission (EFCC) is currently conducting investigations into the stewardship of several high-profile government officials, including former governors, ministers, and senators, among others.
These investigations involve various charges such as alleged money laundering, corruption, abuse of office, and misappropriation of funds, with the total amounts involved running into trillions of Naira.
The new EFCC chairman, Ola Olukayode, said last week that the agency had recovered over N120 billion in the last six months since his assumption into office.
Nairametrics found that the potential funds targeted by the anti-graft agency in five high-profile cases, particularly from the past administration, might be over N6 trillion.
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Amid the recent controversy between EFCC and the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, regarding an alleged N80.02 billion money laundering charge, Nairametrics has highlighted five significant lawsuits filed by the anti-graft commission against immediate past government officials, including a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, collectively amounting to approximately N6.02 trillion.
Here are some of
Willie Obiano’s alleged N4 billion fraud case
On January 24, 2024, the EFCC arraigned a former governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, before Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. Obiano was governor of Anambra State between March 2014 and March 2022.
He was arraigned on a nine-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering, diversion of funds, stealing and corruption to the tune of N4 billion.
Obiano pleaded not guilty to all charges, and he was granted bail on the same day.
Meanwhile, Justice Ekwo granted him administrative bail and added that Obiano must remain within Federal Capital Territory (FCT). His travel documents must be submitted to the court going forward.
The case is still ongoing in court.
Sadiya Umar Farouq’s N37.1 billion case
Another government official who has been in the eye of the storm since her departure from public office is the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, who served under former President Muhammad Buhari.
In early January 2024, Farouq was summoned by the EFCC for investigation in an ongoing N37.1 billion alleged fraud case linked to the misappropriation of funds by the Ministry under her leadership.
So far, EFCC has yet to arraign the former Minister as investigations are still ongoing. However, there are reports that Farouq’s passport was ceased as part of the bail condition from EFCC’s custody.
Hadi Sirika’s alleged N8 billion money laundering probe
Former Minister of Aviation during the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, Hadi Sirika, is also currently in the middle of an ongoing investigation by the anti-graft agency, amounting to about N8 billion.
The former aviation minister was accused of conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds, contract inflation, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering, amounting to N8 billion.
According to the commission, the sum was for four aviation contracts from the former minister to a company known as Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by his younger brother.
The agency said apart from being listed as the company’s MD/CEO, Abubakar was the sole signatory to the company’s two accounts, domiciled in Zenith Bank and Union Bank.
Yahaya Bello alleged N80.2 billion Money Laundering Probe
In a case now marked by controversy and media debates, the EFCC is pursuing charges against the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, and three other individuals, namely, Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu. They face 19 counts related to money laundering amounting to N80.2 billion.
EFCC operatives laid siege on Mr. Bello’s residence in Abuja in a bid to arrest him last Wednesday.
The attempted arrest failed as the EFCC operatives met stiff resistance from police personnel attached to the former governor’s residence.
The commission later declared the former governor wanted.
Godwin Emefiele’s alleged $4.5bn and N2.8bn fraud cases
On April 8, 2024, the EFCC also arraigned the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, alongside one Henry Omoile before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, for an alleged $4.5 billion (approximately N5.8 trillion) and N2.8 billion fraud cases.
Emefiele pleaded not guilty to the charge and was later granted N50 million bail.
Moreover, the case and other charges brought forward by the commission against the embattled former CBN chief are ongoing.
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Note: All these cases are either currently under investigation or in court. None of the individuals involved has been found guilty. Therefore, all probes and charges should be considered as ongoing investigations and allegations by the anti-graft agency.
