President Goodluck Jonathan’s choice for reelection campaign director, Bello Haliru Mohammed, a former minister and once an acting head of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, is a confirmed bribe taker, indicted by a German court in 2007, PREMIUM TIMES can report today.
Mr. Mohammed, named Thursday to oversee Mr. Jonathan’s declaration and campaign for re-election, in a potentially tense political battle likely to pitch him against either former head of state, Muhammadu Buhari, or former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

[b]But Mr. Mohammed’s appointment has revived a mind-boggling bribery case for which he and other senior officials of the Olusegun Obasanjo administration were indicted of by a German court in 2007.
In its October 4, 2007 ruling against Siemen AG, the Munich State Court named Mr. Mohammed as one of the recipients of 77 hefty bribes paid by Siemen officials in three countries- Nigeria, Russia and Libya.
The indictment, published in November 2007 by the United States-based Wall Street Journal, listed Mr. Mohammed, who at the time was the Minister for Communications as having received millions of Euros in bribes, alongside other Nigerian cabinet members, to allow the German Conglomerate a piece of the Nigerian telecoms market.
In all, the company paid more than 10 million euros to Mr. Mohammed, former telecommunications ministers, Tajudeen Olarewaju, Cornelius Adebayo and Haruna Elewi, as well as an unnamed Senator, an unnamed immigration officer, and the PDP, the court said.
Bello Haliru and President jonathan
Mr. Mohammed was appointed Nigerian minister of Communications in June 2001 by President Olusegun Obasanjo, replacing Mohammed Arzika.
He was appointed at a time the government was planning to privatise moribund state company, Nigerian Telecommunications Limited, NITEL.
The court said as minister, Mr. Mohammed received 550,000 euros in kickback in July 2002 and another 150,000 euros in August 2003.
The court said Nigerian ministers under the Obasanjo government also received unspecified sums of money for the ruling PDP.
“According to the Munich court ruling, Edward Seidel, who headed Siemens’ operations in Nigeria earlier this decade, helped deliver many of the bribes to the final recipients,” the Wall Street Journal reported at the time.
“In August (2003), according to the (Munich) court, Mr Siekaczek and Mr Siedel funnelled a 150,000 euros bribe to Mr. (Bello) Mohammed, following a 550,000 euros payment the year before when he was still the Nigerian telecommunications minister,” the paper reported.
“The Munich court estimated that the roughly 12million euros bribes in Nigeria, Russia and Libya produced at least 200 million euros in ‘unlawful economic advantages’ for Siemens,” according to the paper.
Reinhard Siekaczek, a top Siemens Manager, also coordinated the large scale illicit payment, the Munich court said.
Siemens, at the time, accepted responsibility for the misconduct of Mr. Siekaczek and agreed to pay 210 million euros in fines to the German government.
While Mr. Siekaczek was indicted, German prosecutors said they would not pursue action against non-German citizens who were identified as recipients of the bribes, leaving them to be sanctioned by their own governments.
But for more than seven years, Mr. Mohammed, and other recipients of the bribes, have escaped justice with two investigations by the Nigerian authorities yielding no indictments.
The former minister has instead been rewarded with choice appointments, serving as acting chairman of the ruling party, PDP and later as Nigeria’s defence minister.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, launched an investigation following the ruling of the German court, but punished no one despite former President Umaru Yar’adua famously vowing that “… there will neither be sacred cows nor a cover up for anybody found culpable of breaching the law”.
Separately, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, investigated the scandal but failed to prosecute the main culprits amid claims the former minister admitted receiving the payments.
Mr. Mohammed was later elected the deputy chairman of PDP, before being appointed the defence minister by President Goodluck Jonathan between 2011 and 2012.[/b]
On the website of PDP, no mention is made of the bribery scandal in Mr. Mohammed’s profile.
The party merely narrates its former chairman’s career dating before and after he joined the Nigerian Customs Service, where he rose to the rank of Comptroller General and retired in 1995.
After his retirement from service, he was appointed Commissioner, Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission in 1999 from where he became minister.
He later became National Vice Chairman of the PDP, North West Zone. In March 2008, he became Deputy National Chairman of the Party and Acting National Chairman in 2010.
It is unclear whether Mr. Jonathan is aware of corruption allegation against Mr. Mohammed. But the President is not known for any vigorous war against corruption. He famously recently said reports of corruption in Nigeria were exaggerated.
He is also not known for firing officials indicted for corruption.

Premium Times-

We know this crooked and corrupt president has zero sense of decency and sense of duty even as the chief law enforcement officer of the country, but must he always prove to the world that he is not only crooked and corrupt, but also that his best friends and are favorite people to hang around with and appoints are renowned crooks, convicts, embezzlers, looters and top of the line unsavory characters?

Credible leaders distance themselves far far away from bad and corrupt characters, but this man welcomes them and they are the only characters out of millions of credible Nigerians he picks from to work for him and on behalf of 170 million people..

JonadaftRetardeen: it is mere stealing, Not corruption. Haliru is a mere thief not a pillager of the Nigerian treasury. Same with my wife shepopotamus, this is why I killed the EFCC so that they cannot even find their bearing to investigate the case any further. Not to mention, I killed off the anti-corruption of that boy called Ribadu. Now, he is waiting for appointment under my government otherwise, he will still be slugging it out with his cows in Adamawa.

One thing you can't take away from Mr President is that his first term in office has made Men billionaires who prior to he GEJ emergency were seen as outsiders with no legitimate claim to National cake. I can bet if we continue on this trend beyond 2015 there won't be any National cake left all policy will be based on stomach adjustment programme. If you are yet to receive your own share of nation cake from GEJ keep shouting GEJ till 2020 while having a strong faith that the boy with no shoes will remember you before his luck runs out 2015.

A President with such a despicable character who shamelessly parades himself with criminals, fraudsters, thieves, ex-convicts, murderers, looters, money launderers, liars, two faced beings, hypocrites, praise-singers, and all sorts of disgusting human beings.

2015, marks your full stop.

arresa:
We know this crooked and corrupt president has zero sense of decency and sense of duty even as the chief law enforcement officer of the country, but must he always prove to the world that he is not only crooked and corrupt, but also that his best friends and are favorite people to hang around with and appoints are renowned crooks, convicts, embezzlers, looters and top of the line unsavory characters?

Credible leaders distance themselves far far away from bad and corrupt characters, but this man welcomes them and they are the only characters out of millions of credible Nigerians he picks from to work for him and on behalf of 170 million people..

instead of throwing muds and sands on gej and then covince people he is dirty why cant buhari apologetics use that energy to promote the dogs and baboon will be soak in blood general.
And as a rejoinder:-
There is no point going over this topic over and over again as buhari apologists have perfected lies which they promote to cover up up his inadequacies and some of you now believe these lies. For instance Buhari said Abacha was honest after Abacha had ied despite all the billions he stole. This statement wasn't made when Abacha was a junior officer to him. As I said I don't have the energy to continue repeating this over-flogged debate. Fact remains buhari has absolutely nothing positive to offer Nigeria and he is NOT the type of leader we need.

arresa:
We know this crooked and corrupt president has zero sense of decency and sense of duty even as the chief law enforcement officer of the country, but must he always prove to the world that he is not only crooked and corrupt, but also that his best friends and are favorite people to hang around with and appoints are renowned crooks, convicts, embezzlers, looters and top of the line unsavory characters?

Credible leaders distance themselves far far away from bad and corrupt characters, but this man welcomes them and they are the only characters out of millions of credible Nigerians he picks from to work for him and on behalf of 170 million people..

instead of throwing muds and sands on gej and then covince people he is dirty why cant buhari apologetics use that energy to promote the dogs and baboon will be soak in blood general.
And as a rejoinder:-
There is no point going over this topic over and over again as buhari apologists have perfected lies which they promote to cover up up his inadequacies and some of you now believe these lies. For instance Buhari said Abacha was honest after Abacha had ied despite all the billions he stole. This statement wasn't made when Abacha was a junior officer to him. As I said I don't have the energy to continue repeating this over-flogged debate. Fact remains buhari has absolutely nothing positive to offer Nigeria and he is NOT the type of leader we need.
Gej for president untill bacanista and egift get job

Na wetin ur ogas pay you to do be dat?

U are doing a good job son

Jonathan loves to appoint criminals and corrupt officials all in the bid to get re-elected.
This is why he must be kicked out in 2015!
So sad!

Can we have the list of non bribe/percentage takers from APC National Executives?



We will appreciate your contribution.

Ngwakwe:
Can we have the list of non bribe/percentage takers from APC National Executives?



We will appreciate your contribution.

So if your President is asked, why are you supporting corruption, his reply would be "because APC is doing the same thing". Is that your take?

Apc party of ritualist,gaylord and drug kingpins plus frog eyes tifnubu magadung

Chubhie:
One thing you can't take away from Mr President is that his first term in office has made Men billionaires who prior to he GEJ emergency were seen as outsiders with no legitimate claim to National cake. I can bet if we continue on this trend beyond 2015 there won't be any National cake left all policy will be based on stomach adjustment programme. If you are yet to receive your own share of nation cake from GEJ keep shouting GEJ till 2020 while having a strong faith that the boy with no shoes will remember you before his luck runs out 2015.

Did you had about the IBB regime oil wind fall? Where did the money went to?

ayukdaboss:

So if your President is asked, why are you supporting corruption, his reply would be "because APC is doing the same thing". Is that your take?

Can I have the list of corruption charges involving GEJ pending or convicted?

We don't need rumours and gossips

Remember my first question, I desperately need the list of incorruptible APC National Executives.


*** My point actually is that non of them is innocent and that this double standard and use of different scorecards for same examination is hypocritical and childish

arresa:

Credible leaders distance themselves far far away from bad and corrupt characters, but this man welcomes them and they are the only characters out of millions of credible Nigerians he picks from to work for him and on behalf of 170 million people..

General Muhammadu Buhari is also NOT a credible leader seeing as he associated with Abacha.

arresa:
We know this crooked and corrupt president has zero sense of decency and sense of duty even as the chief law enforcement officer of the country, but must he always prove to the world that he is not only crooked and corrupt, but also that his best friends and are favorite people to hang around with and appoints are renowned crooks, convicts, embezzlers, looters and top of the line unsavory characters?

Credible leaders distance themselves far far away from bad and corrupt characters, but this man welcomes them and they are the only characters out of millions of credible Nigerians he picks from to work for him and on behalf of 170 million people..

Why is Gen Buhari friend with Tinubu (Chief Of Corruption)?

Pataki:
A President with such a despicable character who shamelessly parades himself with criminals, fraudsters, thieves, ex-convicts, murderers, looters, money launderers, liars, two faced beings, hypocrites, praise-singers, and all sorts of disgusting human beings.

2015, marks your full stop.

What can you say about this statement?
Abacha was not corrupt. - Gen Buhari.

major466:

What can you say about this statement?
Abacha was not corrupt. - Gen Buhari.

I am not privilege to the reason(s) why Buhari made that statement. It could well infact be what he thought was right.

Let me play the devil's advocate here. If Abacha was corrupt, as you want me to believe, why did GEJ give him recently an award?


Mere stealing is not corruption - President Goodluck Jonathan 2014.

major466:

Why is Gen Buhari friend with Tinubu (Chief Of Corruption)?

Who told you he is corrupt? Was he not charged to court right under this same GEJ administration? Was he found guilty of corruption charges - yes or no?

major466:

What can you say about this statement?
Abacha was not corrupt. - Gen Buhari.

Yes Abacha was so incorruptible that the FG dropped corruption charges against his son.

Pataki:
I am not privilege to the reason(s) why Buhari made that statement. It could well infact be what he thought was right.

Buhari was wrong. Abacha is the definition of corruption after IBB and Tinubu.

Let me play the devil's advocate here. If Abacha was corrupt, as you want me to believe, why did GEJ give him recently an award?

The award given to Abacha was ceremonial as a former head of state. Award has nothing to do with morality.

Mere stealing is not corruption - President Goodluck Jonathan 2014.

GEJ was defining stealing as a serious crime in relation to embezzlement of public funds.

jdilight:


Did you had about the IBB regime oil wind fall? Where did the money went to?

I wish to hear your own perception of events.

Pataki:


Who told you he is corrupt? Was he not charged to court right under this same GEJ administration? Was he found guilty of corruption charges - yes or no?

He covered his tracks perfectly. Just like IBB. As far as we're concerned Tinubu is very Corrupt.

Ngwakwe:
Can we have the list of non bribe/percentage takers from APC National Executives?



We will appreciate your contribution.

Always coming up with senseless comments. How does this comment refute the indictment of Haliru Muhammed?

anonimi:


General Muhammadu Buhari is also NOT a credible leader seeing as he associated with Abacha.

Has any court of law or tribunal indicted Buhari like Haliru Muhammed?

Omimah:

Has any court of law or tribunal indicted Buhari like Haliru Muhammed?

Do you understand what aressa wrote to which I replied
Kindly read again before you make any further embarrassing statement, ok?

anonimi:


Do you understand what aressa wrote to which I replied
Kindly read again before you make any further embarrassing statement, ok?

You are the one disgracing yourself.

President of Criminals

Ngwakwe:



Can I have the list of corruption charges involving GEJ pending or convicted?

We don't need rumours and gossips

Remember my first question, I desperately need the list of incorruptible APC National Executives.


*** My point actually is that non of them is innocent and that this double standard and use of different scorecards for same examination is hypocritical and childish

I read your posts whenever I see them. I wouldn't trust you farther than I could throw you.

Omimah:

You are the one disgracing yourself.

This was what you responded to initially from me, right

anonimi:

arresa:

Credible leaders distance themselves far far away from bad and corrupt characters, but this man welcomes them and they are the only characters out of millions of credible Nigerians he picks from to work for him and on behalf of 170 million people..

General Muhammadu Buhari is also NOT a credible leader seeing as he associated with Abacha.

Where did you pull the Buhari indicted like Haliru Muhammed from