By SaharaReporters, New York
A report published today by Vanguard newspaper has uncovered a list of some of the foreign banks used to funnel close to $200 million in Halliburton bribes to Nigerian officials, including two former heads of states.

Under pressure from the United States, President Goodluck Jonathan recently directed that the files on the $180 million Halliburton bribery scam be reopened and the principal suspects re-arrested for prosecution.

Even though the Vanguard report failed to mention the former Nigerian heads of state implicated in the scandal, SaharaReporters has learnt that the principal targets are former military ruler Abdulsalami Abubakar and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Mr. Abubakar’s share of the illicit bribe funds, a total of $37.5 million, was wired to him through accounts in the American Express Bank Annex at the Towers World Financial Centre, New York, the Seaway National Bank, Chicago, and the Bank of New York.

Mr. Abubakar, who served as military ruler after the death of General Sani Abacha, operated several bank accounts that period included A/C No 187765 Chips VID 250517 (in the name of Maizubi Holdings, Minna), A/C No 0074952045, Routing Number 071001216, Foundation Inc., A/C No 9800263826 Swift/Sort Code GHBAGRAA001 and A/C No 0039342923-21 Routing Number 052001533.

The bribery deals were overseen by Jeffrey Tesler, a lawyer and dual citizen of the UK and Israel who served as a consultant to KBR, a subsidiary of Halliburton that sought to secure construction contracts worth $6 billion. Mr. Tesler was arrested in the UK in 2009. In 2011, he struck a plea bargain with US authorities that sent him to jail for 21 months. In addition, he forfeited $150 million to the US government.

Mr. Tesler reportedly used several fronts, including former Air-Vice Marshal Abdul Dominic Bello, to distribute bribe sums. A source indicated that Air-Vice Marshal Bello played a role in funneling funds to several Nigerian government officials. Bribes of over $68 million were wired to him using accounts at several banks. These included Lloyds Bank of London, A/C No 736827, Bank of Credit and Commerce International, London, American Express Bank, A/C No 2101653, HSBC, A/C No 31505024, and Lloyds Bank, A/C No 0737041. All transactions were done using a company called Tri-Star.

Vanguard disclosed that the various bribe sums were shared with the active knowledge and connivance of Sena Anthony, the company secretary of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG). Ms. Anthony’s role earned her an arrest, detention and prolonged interrogation during the first investigation. Subsequently, Nigerian investigators decided that she was key to unraveling the complete list of the bribery beneficiaries.

Vanguard learnt that Mr. Obasanjo used a variety of cronies to collect a total of about $39 million in bribe funds. Mr. Obasanjo reportedly used construction giant, Julius Berger, as a go-between. He purported that the huge sums of money were invested in the PDP, whereas only a minute fraction of the funds actually got to the party. Mr. Obasanjo's assistant, Bodunde Adeyanju, was briefly arrested and detained by Nigerian law enforcement.

The source also disclosed that Malabo Oil, which is owned by former Minister of Petroleum Dan Etete, received some $2 million from the bribery scam. In addition, Nigeria’s former spy chief, Umaru Shinkafi, also received $1.65 million of the Halliburton bribe. The cash was wired to him through the American Express Bank in London and in a joint account he operated with Ashiru Bisiji Aliyu.

Another big-time beneficiary was Abdulkadir Abacha. A brother of former dictator Sani Abacha, he received various sums amounting to about $13 million. The funds were sent through account names Headway Eng. Ltd. (A/C No 68579222), Strategic Ind. Ltd. (A/c No 76434366), and Action Investment Intern Ltd.

Ibrahim Aliyu, a former federal permanent secretary, used Union Bank Plc London office at Copt Avenue with account No 02101/01/010 312/ Swift Address UBNIGB31A.

M.G. Bakari, owner of Sherwood, reportedly acted for himself and a former head of state. He received huge sums through various accounts including Bank HSBC, Euston Road, London, A/C No 39067293 Sort Code 40-04-07, Swift Code MIDOGB; A/C No 024002112100; Monument Trust, Channels Island, Sherwood A/C No 024002112001 through which the sum of Euro 664, 020. 83 was wired to Sherwood.

President Jonathan’s order to re-open the Halliburton bribery scandal involving prominent Nigerians followed subtle criticism by the US. US officials recently told Mr. Jonathan that the Barack Obama administration would not authorize release of about $130 million in the Halliburton case until Nigeria demonstrated seriousness in prosecuting Nigerian officials who accepted bribes from Halliburton.

A source at the Presidency said Mr. Jonathan is not interested in prosecuting the former heads of state involved in the scam, despite soured relations between him and former President Obasanjo. Mr. Jonathan recently heaped praise on the prime suspect, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, describing him as the person who stabilized Nigeria's democracy.

Our source said Mr. Jonathan was upset over Mr. Obasanjo’s increasingly biting criticism of his administration, but doubted that the current president could risk taking on his predecessor and benefactor. “Don’t forget that Chief Obasanjo put him where he is,” said the source.

There are unanswered questions about the whereabouts of the $26.5 million returned by construction giant, Julius Berger, in a plea bargain arrangement with Mohammed Bello Adoke, Nigeria’s current Attorney General. A top aide to Mr. Jonathan asserted that Mr. Adoke misappropriated the funds with the help of some lawyers who were also involved in the case. The source disclosed that the funds were then used to set up an airline known as “Izzy Air,” a private charter airliner.

k2039: Is anyone still doubting if Nigeria is the second most corrupt country in the world?


https://www.nairaland.com/1103475/nigeria-2nd-most-corrupt-nation#12970496

feathers007: No wonder some mega cooperation would never do business in/with Nigeria. The country has a way of corrupting their staff.

eGuerrilla:
As for Uncle Joe...even his most ardent supporters on these boards know "liver no dey"

Maxymilliano:

Sorry bro but is it not this same report we read that "Under pressure from the United States, President Goodluck Jonathan recently directed that the files on the $180 million Halliburton bribery scam be reopened and the principal suspects re-arrested for prosecution?. You may want to argue that he was pressured into taking such action but is it not better late than never? Below is what was reported by Vanguard few weeks ago.

$180m Halliburton scandal: FG orders re-arrest of principal suspects

There were indications in Abuja, Tuesday, that the Presidency has directed the Police to re-arrest the principal suspects in the $180million Halliburton bribery scandal, involving prominent Nigerians, for prosecution.

This is sequel to the insistence by the US authorities that the $130million presently in the US government coffers, will be returned to Nigeria only after the culprits were prosecuted as the Americans have done.

As a result of the directive, Vanguard gathered that the Inspector General of Police has directed the office of the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Force Criminal Investigations Department to resuscitate the investigative report of the CP Ali Amodu-led panel that investigated the scandal and submitted its report in 2010.

Consequently, such principal suspects like the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Dominic Bello; former federal Permanent Secretary and Intercellular boss, Ibrahim Aliyu; former GMD of NNPC, Gaius Obaseki; former Special Assistant to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Domestic Affairs, Mr. Bodunde Adeyanju and a former Secretary to the board of LNG, Mrs. Anthony are to be re-arrested for prosecution.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/10/180m-halliburton-scandal-fg-orders-re-arrest-of-principal-suspects/

take dat: Bros if you fool us finish make u tell us. Is it by reopening of the files? You and I know that GEJ would never be as emboldened as to arrest the prime suspects. Recently it was in the news that GEJ paid accolades to AbdulSalam and OBJ is his benefactor. No wonder rumour has it that he would have preferred a presidency of Romney than Obama's. If GEJ get liver then we dare him to prosecute OBJ!

Maxymilliano:

So who are the prime suspect if i may ask? was Obasanjo and Abdusalami directly involved in the Halliburton scandal or do you see the duo collecting the alleged bribe directly? from the report i posted "the Inspector General of Police has directed the office of the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Force Criminal Investigations Department to resuscitate the investigative report of the CP Ali Amodu-led panel that investigated the scandal and submitted its report in 2010" So how else do you expect the government to go about the case? unlawfully arresting people without verifying your facts and evidences?

take dat: Na today? This information have been in the public domain for quite sometime now. The truth is GEJ does not have the GUTS to prosecute them or even those with ties to them.