High Street

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says the sum of N27bn, which formed part of the proceeds of the sale of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, was shared among top government functionaries in 2014. The EFCC disclosed this in a court paper filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja on December 5, 2017. The total sum of N27,188,232,208.20, allegedly looted by the named officials was said to be meant for the settlement of the insurance premiums for disengaged members of staff of PHCN. Among the top government officials, named in the alleged scam, were the then Chief of Staff to the then President Goodluck Jonathan, Brig. Gen. Jones Arogbofa (retd.); the then Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Jonah Otunla; and the then Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Dr. Godknows Igali. Others also named in the scam are a cousin to Jonathan, Robert Azibaola; a former Director-General, Bureau for Public Enterprises, Mr. Benjamin Dikki; and a former Minister of State for P...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested Dr. Ngozi Olojeme, the Deputy Chairman, Finance Committee of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation in the 2015 presidential election, The PUNCH has learnt. The suspect, who served as the Chairman of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund from 2009 to 2015, was, in June, declared wanted for allegedly diverting N69bn from the agency. Olojeme, who is also the widow to Felix Obuah, the late Chief Security Officer to Jonathan, was said to have fled the country shortly after her sacking by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015. The suspect, who was also the convener of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme sub-committee on Public Works and Road Rehabilitation, finally reported at the EFCC on Monday after which she was detained. A detective at the commission stated, “After months of running, Mrs. Olojeme finally turned herself in. She is currently being detained and we have identified most of her properties.” The NS...

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has taken responsibility for the Peoples Democratic Party’s defeat in the 2015 presidential election. He, therefore, said his priority now “is how to ensure that the Peoples Democratic Party regains the Presidency in 2019.” Jonathan said this when Chief Olabode George and his campaign team paid him a courtesy visit in his country home in Otuoke, Bayelsa State on Tuesday.   A statement by Bode George Media Office after the meeting quoted the ex-President as saying it was his responsibility to ensure that the PDP rose again as a strong political platform to win the next elections. Jonathan said, “Whether I like it or not, I must take responsibility for the defeat because I led the party to the election. The only thing that will make me sleep well is to ensure that the PDP comes back to power.” The former President said he was working with other stakeholders to ensure that the party was well organised to achieve this p...

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that there is no rift between him and Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa contrary to perceptions held by some. According to a statement issued by Francis Agbo, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dickson on Friday in Yenagoa, Jonathan attributed the false news on a political rivalry between the duo to the handiwork of mischief makers. The statement quoted Jonathan to have gone down memory lane and recalled how he persuaded Dickson to join the Peoples Democratic Party while he was the governor of the state between December 9, 2005, and May 29, 2007. Jonathan in the statement wondered why some people were using politics to create crisis where none existed. According to the statement, Jonathan made the clarification in his Otuoke home, during a condolence visit by Dickson to commiserate with him on the death of the Paramount Ruler of Otuoke Community, King Lot Justin Ogiasa. Jonathan said, “Let me on behalf of the community thank you for makin...

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has accused Farida Waziri, former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), of lying against him. Waziri was chairman of the anti-graft agency during Jonathan’s time in office. Over the weekend, she alleged that her refusal to back down from the probe of one of the masterminds of the fuel subsidy scam earned her a dismissal by Jonathan. Reacting, Jonathan charged her to reveal the identity of whom she claimed to have been sacked for investigating. Writing on his Twitter handle on Wednesday, Jonathan said failure to give such evidence will prove she was hired to attack him. He wrote: “If Farida is not telling lies, she should mention the person or company she was investigating and she was stopped, let the EFCC investigate. “Crime has no statute bar. If she can’t then she was simply hired to attack me.” Source: TheCable

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared wanted, Jennifer Turnah, the wife of George Turnah, who is the godson to former President Goodluck Jonathan. The EFCC said in a statement said the 30-year-old suspect, who hails from Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA of Bayelsa State, allegedly helped her husband to launder over N1bn through some shell accounts. The commission said Jennifer was a signatory to many of the accounts and had continued to ignore invitations from the EFCC. The statement partly, “The public is hereby notified that Jennifer Timinipre Turnah whose photograph appears below, is wanted by the EFCC in a case of criminal conspiracy, money laundering and stealing to the tune of N1bn. “The suspect, who is the wife of George Turnah, a former special assistant to an ex-Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, is a signatory to some of the companies her husband allegedly used to launder monies meant for youth development. “Bank accounts of the shell comp...

Despite claims by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) that he approved and released the massive stash of cash recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos, former President Goodluck Jonathan has remained silent on the matter. The former president’s spokesperson has for days declined requests to state Mr. Jonathan’s side of the story. Operatives of