EFCC foils plot to steal seized $2.1m NHIS cash

Two persons have made separate attempts to claim the $2.1m (about N418million) cash seized by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The NDLEA had on July 3 intercepted the cash which was being conveyed by a bureau de change operator, Mr. Ibiteye John Bamidele.

The anti-narcotics agency had suspected the bureau de change operator of laundering the money.

Following his confession that he was on money laundering errand allegedly for a former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Dr. Olufemi Thomas, the NDLEA had on July 8 handed over the suspect and the cash to the EFCC.

Investigations by SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday reveal that two different persons have showed up at the Lagos office of the EFCC to claim the cash.

Our correspondent learnt that one of the impostors, a man, who showed up to claim ownership of the money, later confessed to EFCC operatives that he was hired by some persons he didn’t name to retrieve the money from the commission.

His claim was said to have been punctured by the EFCC team and he was subsequently arrested.

Similarly, a lady was also said to have appeared at the Lagos office of the EFCC, claiming that she was the one that gave Bamidele the money.

The lady was said to have made repeated calls to the supposed owner of the money who failed to fulfil his promise that he would meet her at the EFCC office.

When she realised that her partner had failed her with the refusal to appear at the commission. She was also said to have pleaded for mercy especially when the operatives confronted her with facts from Bamidele.

A top officer of the EFCC, who spoke on condition of anonymity to SUNDAY PUNCH, said, “Another thing you must know about this drama is that the commission has foiled some attempts to retrieve the money.

“From the time the case was handed over to the commission on July 8, 2015 to date, two people have come forward to claim the money.

“A few days after the money was handed over to the EFCC, a man came to the office to claim the money but when he was grilled, he contradicted himself. In fact, he said he was hired by some persons to claim and retrieve the money from the commission.

“Apart from the man, another woman showed up the following day to claim that she was the one who gave Bamidele the money.

“According to her claim, the money was proceeds of an investment which was liquidated with a bank and was intended to be used to purchase a property for the construction of a cardiac centre.

“However, her claim fell through when operatives confronted her. The bureau de change operator who was caught with the money did not mention her name. Then she realised that she wasn’t going anywhere with her lies, she started pleading for mercy.”

Meanwhile, indications emerged on Saturday that Thomas had been granted administrative bail on Friday by the EFCC after undergoing interrogation in relation to the seized $2.1m.

The EFCC had invited the former NHIS boss, the prime suspect, for interrogation on Friday and released him after hours of interrogation.

SUNDAY PUNCH gathered on Saturday that the EFCC operatives, who grilled the ex-NHIS boss in relation to the ownership of the controversial money, asked him to report to the Lagos office of the commission for further investigation whenever he is needed.

No date was fixed for the next session with the commission.

Another senior officer of the EFCC, who also spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said, “The case involving the seized $2.1 million is still pending. The man was interrogated on Friday but released to go on what we call administrative bail.

“Since the case is a Lagos case, he is expected to be reporting to the commission’s office in Lagos whenever he is needed.”

Prior to Thomas’ interrogation, the EFCC had given the indication that it could declare him wanted after weeks of searching for him.


http://www.punchng.com/news/efcc-foils-plot-to-steal-seized-2-1m-nhis-cash/

Ok

u know, sumtymz I du wander y people bhav in an assholism way...omo lomo lan ran ni ise île toru toru

sluk:
Ok

Kingsimmer:
m.

Space bookers.



Most Nigerian are gullible. Can't the person that sent u to claim the money also try? U ll now be convicted to aiding and abetting falsification claims. So sorry for their stupiditi.

we only hear EFCC,invite goat,
EFCC.invite cow,invite chicken,
EFCC invite dog and all the polithieves,
but we have not heard of. any animal went to prison.
gullible Nigerians being used as dummies since amalgamation

Hmmm ok

But that money dey enter person eye o!

Naija no dey carry last. Who no like to claim better thing

Desperate people will do anything to get rich.

These people must have been promised mouth-watering share of the money to make them accept to dare this stunt.

Festus kiyamo no dey win case for EFCC.... Do you agree with me?

only say i no no i fit lay claims to after all no body get am

ok

EFCC I want you gues to start going to court and securing conviction on these criminals. Don't just stop on interrogations, please.

Two persons have made separate attempts to claim the $2.1m (about N418million) cash seized by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

When Atiku held sway at Murtala Mohammed International airport this would have ended up in his bank account.
(Atiku is a member of APC)

This guy's picture again?


Where is that noise making LADY F!

Hmmm..

Foil plans to steal money kwa. Dem dey announce first before person steal money?

Dem dry the Dollars for rain abi na Toy for child-play?

NL I beg give us better News jare!

Hehehe. Everyone doing their best to impress Baba.

Nigeria shall be great again!!

They say "when the head is rotten, the body suffers", they are indeed right!

I can wager my last breath the story would have been different had we re-elected the guy who claims "corruption is exaggerated in Nigeria", or "stealing is not corruption", or absolve someone of corruption simply because the money he stole can barely buy a Peugeot!! The money would have simply vanished and the story would have fizzled into nothingness with the passage of time.

Thank God those days are far behind us.

That's my money . . .

Got this message on my phone now, although I applied for this some time last month.


You have been selected for the Truck entrepreneur Scheme holding at dangote Agro sack Oba Akran, Ikeja lagos State on the 10rd August 2015. Please go with the following documents in original copies1,birth certificate 2,any means of identification3,affidavit of residential address4,educational qualifications 5, letters from two guarantors who are verifiable. verification commences by 8am followed by a training and a test.

Ok

ghen ghen..the love of money though


In other news,order your football jerseys
https://www.nairaland.com/2447345/2015-2016-new-jerseys-available/2

EFCC has just woken up?


Place your orders for long-lasting solar power banks. See my signature.

some people are funny . Who is that special kind of slowpoke that will attempt to fraudulently claim that kind of hot money? So those two were expecting the EFCC to just hand them the money just like that.
Even the real owner (the alleged looter) won't near that office if he can avoid it.

lol

THEM SWEAR FOR US WITH CORRUPTION SEF?




KE KIME?

Nice. ....

It's [size=20pt]LadyF [/size] again

Nigeria. I hail o

WonderFooL

And they want me to believe all this

Only in Nigeria if unlawfully someone take #500,000 s/he pays back times two and 20yrs jail term


But but stealed,squandered millions of #aira you will 2yrs jail term or fine of any token

9ja I hail thee

Egbon. U fall my hand o. You av always bn a man of integrity. How come u got involved in this? Stl cant belive u wl send someone to launder money for u anyway.

Miner13:
And they want me to believe all this
Only in Nigeria if unlawfully someone take #500,000 s/he pays back times two and 20yrs jail term
But but stealed,squandered millions of #aira you will 2yrs jail term or fine of any token
9ja I hail thee

What should we do about it