27/04/2016

EFCC nabs ex-Air Chief’s N2.6bn MRI equipment, blocks $500m transfer by ‘prominent Nigerian’

Chief of Nigerian air staff Air Marshall Adesola Amosu  attends the commissioning ceremony of the "NNS Centenary", an offshore patrol vessel built by Chinese Shipbuilding and Industry Corporation (CSIC) for Nigerian Navy, on February 19, 2015 in Lagos.  Nigerian President Jonathan commissioned into the service of Nigerian Navy four patrol vessels to enhance maritime surveillance, protection of offshore resources and infrastructure. One of the vessels, a frigate was acquired from the US Coast Guard, and one of two others built by Chinese firm was donated by the Chinese government to its Nigerian counterpart.    AFP PHOTO/PIUS UTOMI EKPEI
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday disclosed that it has recovered a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) equipment valued at N2.6billion from a Lagos hospital owned by former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu.
The agency also blocked an account operated by a “highly placed individual” who was trying to wire $500 million outside the country.
A senior official who spoke on anonymity told Daily Trust that contrary to reports, the arms deal scandal is $15 billion not $2.1billion.
“The actual amount involved in the arms deal is $15 billion. The $2.1 billion was just one transaction out of it.”
The EFCC official confirmed the arrest of the former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Rivers State, Mrs Gesila Khan, in connection with the N681million she allegedly received to rig the 2015 elections.
Speaking on companies involved in the arms deal, the official said the promoters of those firms would be prosecuted even as billions of naira had already been recovered from them.
“Majority of the companies involved in the arms deal are owned by serving military officers. They registered these companies using the names of their cronies.
“Despite the fact that they returned some money, we are still going to prosecute them,” he said.
Commenting the Panama Papers that exposed some public officials’ offshore holdings, the official said EFCC was analyzing the evidence, would soon act on them.
On the EFCC’s reported clearance of the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, the top staff stated: “The EFCC didn’t exonerate the CCT judge. What the letter said was that there was no sufficient evidence to prosecute him at that time.”


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