N12.86bn pension scandal: EFCC seals off pension directors’ filling stations, housing estate

By Olamilekan Lartey, Abuja

Monday, 7 Mar 2011

Special anti-graft operatives from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission probing the N12.86bn missing fund scandal rocking the nation’s pension scheme on Sunday sealed off two filling stations in Kogi State.


The stations were said to have been traced to a former director in the Pensions Unit in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Suleiman Shuaibu.


Agents of the EFCC similarly sealed off a multi-billion naira housing estate under construction in Sokoto, Sokoto State, said to be owned by Aliu Bello, the personal assistant to Shuaibu.


Our correspondent learnt that the EFCC operatives sealed off Shuaibu’s massive filling station complex, Ribale Petroleum, after investigators traced another N1.5b from the missing pension fund to the accounts of the station.


Shuaibu, currently the Director of Finance in the Ministry of Petroleum, and his former deputy in the pension’s office, Mrs Phiana Chidi, had been under intense investigation since the anti-graft commission traced the missing N12.86bn to fake accounts, allegedly operated by the two and their agents.


The sum was said to be the gratuities of 141,970 pensioners.


Investigations that led to the discovery of the fund were said to have been triggered by several complaints by pensioners who were being owed several months of gratuities.


Anti-graft investigators said they found N800m in an account belonging to Chidi, who was deputy director of finance and accounts under Shuaibu in the pension’s office.


EFCC’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the sealing off of the filling stations and the estate and said the alleged scam at the Pensions Unit was being investigated.


Babafemi, however, declined further comments on the stage of the investigation.


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