The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, which arraigned Yusuf Agabi and some Directors in the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, has revealed through its principal witness, Kabiru Paloma, how N805 million was serially shared.

Paloma, who was Personal Assistant to Agabi and one Ayinla Abibu, a former Director Finance and Accounts, informed the court at the resumed hearing of the matter before Justice Husseini Baba of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, that the mopping up “was pure stealing”.

During his cross examination by counsel to the ICPC, Paul Bassi, Paloma told the court how he suddenly discovered that his personal accounts were frozen by the anti-graft agency sometime in 2014.

The witness, who was used as a conduit pipe for illicit transfer of funds, said he informed Agabi, his former boss, of how his accounts were being used by the Ministry in 2013 to remit funds.

He claimed that Agabi shunned all his calls and never responded to his text messages, hence he decided to “spill the beans”.

Paloma told the court how Ayinla, who became  Director of Finance and Accounts in 2014, instructed that a balance of N100 million be left off the balance of 2013 constituency projects that was being “mopped up”.

Paloma alleged that Ayinla ordered a transfer of N60 million to his account, while the remaining N40 million was to be shared amongst staff of  the Accounts Department, namely: one Dickson, Kabiru Paloma, James Ihenacho and Daniel Oba.

A portion of the money was shared to staffs of the Central Pay Office of the Ministry.

Furthermore, the witness also alleged that Ayinla directed the “mopping up” of another balance of N11 million so that it won’t reflect in 2014.

Instead of mopping up N11 million, Paloma admitted transferring N10 million, which was shared among  three people, including Ayinla.

When asked to elaborate on the “mopping up” scheme, Paloma noted that “it was stealing”.

He said the mopping up was done through his five companies, namely: Kapola Nigeria Limited, Sindabab Nigeria Limited, KP Energy Solution, Balang Construction Nigeria Limited, Nadia Collections Nigeria Limited and his personal account with EcoBank.

Paloma added: “The DFA insisted that the remaining N1 million should be mopped up, making the balance N503 million, which had been there for two months without anyone knowing.”

Trouble started when Ayinla, having been briefed, directed that N333 million should be taken out of the money, of which Ayinla out of greed allegedly demanded that  N233 million should be paid to him.

On checking with the Central Bank of Nigeria on the remaining N100 million, Paloma said he discovered an additional N192 million and decided to transfer the whole funds into his company accounts without the consent of Ayinla.

The bubble bust when Ayinla requested to pay a contractor N150 million and realized  there was no money there.

Paloma said: “When he asked me, I had taken the money.”

Paloma told the court that it was during his arrest, detention, interrogation and investigation by ICPC operatives into the misappropriated N805 million that other stolen money in the ministry surfaced in which Agabi’s name was also mentioned.

Agabi and four others are facing prosecution of fraudulently obtaining money from the bank account of the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

Justice Baba adjourned further hearing of the case to November 27 and December 4, 2015.


How N805m was shared in Ministry of Niger Delta - Witness -
http://theeagleonline.com.ng/how-n805m-was-shared-in-ministry-of-niger-delta-witness

Seriously am tired of dis country..may God help us

Stealing and corruption is now everybody's habit

When another party kicks APC out of power... We will be hearing this kind of stories again....

We've come to understand that there isn't any saint in the political circle.. Even those claiming to be innocent are all afraid of nemesis catching up with them... Reasons many APC cohorts are palling up with the media to avoid any discrepancy!

PDP seems to me a Party that isn't aware of any modern political gaming! They are so archaic in their statement and in their political pursuit and amusement. PDP is so naïve and diffident. That is why APC is manipulating them using the media.