How Akpobolokemi, Tompolo stole NIMASA’s billions

Nigeria’s anti-graft agency Economic and Financial Crimes commission (EFCC) has revealed the details of the monumental financial fraud committed by Patrick Ziadeke Akpobolokemi, the former director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, in league with Government Ekpemupolo and others.

The agency made the revelations in a counter-affidavit to the request for bail by Akpobolokemi. EFCC spilled the beans and told the court that rather than grant him bail, the court should order for his accelerated trial .

In the affidavit filed by EFCC investigating officer, Yinusa Abubakar, Akpobolokemi was said to have diverted billions of naira, property of NIMASA into his personal account, those of his cronies and portfolio companies.

Akpobolokemi was alleged to have persuaded the former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan through the office of National Security Adviser to approve the release of N1.24 billion on the pretence that the money was meant to bankroll the implementation of the International Ship Port Facility Security (ISPS). After the approval, Akpobolokemi, in concert with his cronies transferred the funds to the accounts of Extre Vertex Nigeria Ltd, Kofar Fada Ltd, Alkenzo Logistics Ltd,and O2 Services Plus Ltd, which in turn gave him dollars equivalent through his cronies.

He was also alleged to have fraudulently sought and obtained the approval of Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan through the same National Security Adviser for the release of N498milion being the purported cost of the implementation of VIMSAS Nigeria. Again, Akpobolokemi allegedly laundered the money through Ansta ventures,Lakewood Gardens Venture Ltd,Kofar Fada Nigeria Ltd,which in turn converted the money to Dollars and delivered same to him.

Other frauds alleged to have been perpetrated by Akpobolokemi include the payment of N132.6 million between 2012 and 2015 to Global West Vessel Specialist Ltd, contrary to the agreement between the two parties.

The money was taken from the sea protection levy generated by NIMASA.

On the 23rd of May 2013 and 20th of August 213 he fraudulently received N200 million through a company called Odimiri Eletricals Ltd with UBA account number 1002345863 opened and operated by him and one Kime Engozu

Mr Abubakar averred further that in another grand conspiracy with the management of Mieka Dive company, the company obtained by false pretence the sum of N11.94billion from NIMASA on the pretence that the said money represented part payment for the acquisition of a property situated at Kunute Okerenkoko Warri South,Delta State. The property was said to be free from encumbrances and owned by Mieka Dive.

Out of the sum paid to Mieka Training institute by NIMASA,the company between 2nd of December,2014,and 23rd February,2015 transferred N5,400,000,000. to Oyeinteke Global Network Nigeria Ltd account number 1018325345 domiciled with UBA. Oyenteke Global Network is owned by Kime Engozu,his close associate.

The sum of N3,900,000,000. out of N5,400,000,000,paid to the company was in turn transferred to the account of companies belonging to the cronies of the former NIMASA boss as follows:

* Bolobolere Properties Estate Ltd. with account number 1013983247 domiciled with Zenith bank Plc N900,000,000.
*Gokia Marine Oil and Gas limited with account number 1771258695 domiciled with Skye bank Plc. N200million.
*Wabod Global Resources Ltd. account number 1018826127 domiciled with United Bank for Africa (UBA)-N2,800,000,000

Out of the sum of N3,133,471,886.29 transferred to Bolobolere Properties and Estate limited the sum of N982,196,000. was used to acquire buildings and landed properties at Banana Island while his relations and companies received the sum of N56,800,000 shared as follows:

*Dat-Pegip Nigeria Ltd- N6,800.000

* Akpobolokemi Julius N20million

*Watershed Associates resources company N30,million.
Out of the sum transferred to Wabod Global Resources the sum of N300million was used to acquire properties at Banana Island while his relations received N15,100,000

*Akpobolokemi Victor-N4,500,000
*Akpobolokemi Emmanuel Ebizimo-N5million
*Akpobolokemi Clement-N600,000.
A front company for his wife Benemo Ltd also received N15million.

Out of money paid into the account of Gokaid Marine Oil and Gas Company account in Skye bank his relations, Akpobolokemi Victor received N10million while his wife ,Beauty Timi received N1,700,000. Timi Beauty also got N3million from Mieka Dive Ltd.

Abubakar also averred that Patrick Akpobolokemi whilst being the Director General of NIMASA, in a grand conspiracy with the other co-accused persons without the mandatory approval of the accountant General of the Federation opened accounts numbers 0688939609 and 006055559139 at Access Bank in the name of committee on intelligence and committee on ISPS respectively.

Upon opening the said accounts, N1.153 billion was transferred to them, but the money was converted by the former NIMASA boss and other co-accused persons for their personal use.
In a desperate bid to succeed in converting the said sum, he and his cronies forged various documents to the finance and Administration Department of NIMASA,but the purported makers of the document have denied issuing the Documents.
Currently,three criminal charges have been filed against Akpobolokemi and other co-accused persons including about seven companies alleged to have been involved in conversion of billions of Naira.

Akpobolokemi has been arraigned in respect of two charges number FHC/496C/15 pending before Justice Saliu Saidu and FHC/511C/15 before Justice Ibrahim Buba, while he is yet to be arraigned in respect of charge FHC/L/553C/15 pending before Justice Ibrahim Buba because one of the principal co-accused in the charge, Government Ekpemupolo,alias TOMPOLO is yet to be apprehended.

However Justice Buba has adjourned till tomorrow for the accused persons to be arraigned.

Source: PM News

PDP's Ayade backs Buhari’s anti -corruption campaign

Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, on Wednesday backed the anti- corruption campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to him, the war is necessary because of the pain, frustration and hardship Nigerians have passed through over the years.

He spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Buhari at the State House, Abuja.

He said it was so sad that the people are so poor in a nation abundantly blessed with natural resources.

He said: “The anti-corruption war is perfect. For those who know the pain and hardship that Nigerians have passed through, for the hardship and frustrations. As a nation there is so much in terms of natural resources and the people are so poor.

“It is only obvious that any serious government must take the issue of corruption seriously, and I think that is why today Nigeria is beginning to have national and international image that looks like Nigeria is getting prepared for business.

“That is why investments are flowing into Cross River State, that is a sign that the anti-corruption war is actually working and it is giving Nigeria the international image that we need.”

He also said he discussed rice production with the President.

Source: The Nation

N34b fraud: EFCC to arraign Tompolo in absentia

Despite being in hiding, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) on Wednesday said it will on Thursday arraign Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) and nine others before a Federal High Court, Lagos on a 40-count charge of alleged money laundering , conspiracy, stealing and diversion of funds.

The commission also said it has secured order to serve trial summons on Tompolo through substituted means.

Those to be arraigned with Tompolo are former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Patrick Akpobolokemi,  Kime Engozu, Rex Elem, Gregory Mbonu and Captain Warredi Enisuoh.

Others are – Global West Vessel Specialist Limited (Tompolo’s company), Odimiri Electricals Limited, Boloboere Property and Estate Limited and Destre Consult Limited.

A statement issued by the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said: “The suspects allegedly diverted the sum of N34 billion which accrued from the public private partnership agreement between NIMASA and Global West Vessel   Specialist Limited for personal use.”

Source: The Nation

I’ll rid Nigeria of corruption if given another chance – Jonathan

January 13, 2015 Festus Owete

President Goodluck Jonathan said on Monday that his successor would not have any difficulty fighting corruption because of the technology his administration is putting in place to fight the menace.

Addressing party supporters at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, campaign rally in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Mr. Jonathan, who is the presidential candidate of the party, promised to end corruption in Nigeria, if given the mandate to run the country for another four years.

“I promise you if you vote for me and I come back and serve this country in the next four years, the next persons that will become the president of this country will not talk about corruption because we are working on technology and we will use technology to block all these areas through which people are corruptly enriching themselves,” he said.

Mr. Jonathan, who has severally accused of condoning corruption, added: “Today we are talking about IT. We are no longer in the analogue generation. So we want to deploy IT to solve problems and I tell you in the next five years nobody will harass the next president for not fighting corruption because I will solve the problem of corruption in this country.”

The presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Muhammadu Buhari, had promised during one of his campaign rallies last week that he would jail corrupt leaders.

However, Mr. Jonathan, who assured of his commitment to stamp out corruption, said he would not do so by sending corrupt Nigerians to jail.

He said his administration has prosecuted more people than any past administration in the country.

He said, “But let me assure Nigerians about my commitment and my method of solving the problem of corruption or fighting is not the number of people I tried and jailed.

“In terms of people I tried and jailed, maybe I will give you the statistics on my subsequent outing because I have asked them to give me the comprehensive statistics.

“We have tried more Nigerians. More Nigerians have been jailed within this period, but we followed due process. But I used to tell people that even if I tried 10 million Nigerians and jailed five million Nigerians for corruption, I have not solved the corruption problem.

“For you to stop corruption, you must use modern technology to prevent people from stealing. And that is what we are working on. The oil industry is a good area. We are working very hard. I don’t just want to say certain things. All these people have so much money that they will do everything to stop us.”

Mr. Jonathan criticised Mr. Buhari for promising to abolish the office of the First lady if he was elected.

The president said he would not do so because the office and other women associations are used as a channel to empower the country’s women.

He said, “They said they are going to ban the office of the first lady, they are going to ban the office of the governors’ wives, they are going to ban the office of local government chairman, they are going to ban the Defence officers wives, army officers wives association, naval officers wives association, police officers wives association.

“But me, having served as deputy governor, governor, vice president and president, I can tell you that these offices are helping us to mobilize our women. And these offices are encouraged to set up NGOs. They money they spend does not come from government budget. They run NGOs.

“Nigeria had a lot of philanthropists. They want spend money and they use some of these channels to empower our women. You don’t have to turn them to baby factory alone.

“I promise the Nigeria that if we open international magazines parading women I want to see Nigerian women in those magazines. The Nigerian women on their own have struggled to reach the highest positions in their country. I am making deliberate effort to try to put you on the international limelight. That is what I am doing. I don’t believe that you are designed to pound yam for me.

“I don’t think your duty is merely to procreate. But you cannot be a baby factory manufacturing children and doing nothing because my conviction is that as a biologist, the brain God gave men and women equally. Physically men are more endowed but both men and women and equally endowed in brain.

Mr. Jonathan said he had always believed that “any human population that does not give equal opportunity to women you are not exploiting 50% of their brains.”

He added, “For me we must exploit 50% of their brains for the purpose of developing this country. That is why you see so many women holding top offices in my cabinet and we will encourage them the more. I don’t believe women should not be given top positions. If that is the belief of others so be it. A vote in 2015 is a vote to liberate them or imprisoned them to the kitchen.”

Mr. Jonathan paid tribute to some Yoruba leaders, including the first Premier of Western Region, Obafemi Awolowo, the late Chairman of the defunct National Party of Nigeria, NPN, Adisa Akinloye, a former governor of Oyo State, Lam Adesina, a former Minister of Justice, Richard Akinjide and the late Lamidi Adedibu, all of who he described as “great men who have led the country and are still leading.”

He added that “We want to model our leadership after them because they achieved greatness.”

Mr. Jonathan described Ibadan as the political headquarters of the South West just as he paid tribute to the people of the region.

According to him, it was the people of the region that encouraged him to convoke the 2014 National conference.

“Ibadan is a leading light to all parts of this country. South West has played great in education. The south west encouraged me to start the National Dialogue. I have to give that accolade to the South West. You donated one of yours who was the pioneer to set the agenda,” the president said.

Source: Premium Times

‘2016 budget NOT missing’

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, has said that the 2016 budget proposal was not missing.

He said no statement made by any Senator during Wednesday’s plenary could be interpreted as an admission that the 2016 budget is missing.

Abdullahi made the clarification in a statement made available to reporters in Abuja.

He insisted that no budget is missing and that the Senate will on Thursday distribute copies of the budget to all the Senators to enable contribute to the debate slated for January 19 to 21.

He noted that all the senators have indicated the date they will make their own contributions on the budget.

Source: The Nation