EFCC traces el-Rufai’s alleged loot to US, UK


YET another twist has been added to the ongoing trial of former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Sunday Compass can authoritatively report.

Operatives of the commission are currently working with their counterparts in some world capitals over alleged questionable property purchases in the names of his suspected cronies.

The Sunday Compass learnt yesterday that top on the list of such countries are the United States (U.S.), the United Kingdom (U.K.) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

It was, however, not ascertained last night if the houses were in the name of one of el-Rufai’s suspected personal friends, Idris Othman; or through the latter’s Abuja-based firm, System Properties Development Company.

Some other firms have earlier been linked to alleged questionable land allocations by el-Rufai on his last day in office.

During the week, the EFCC accused the former minister of delay-tactics in his trial at a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Impeccable sources told Sunday Compass that the EFCC is looking into allegations that el-Rufai bought the choice property in the U.S., the U.K., and UAE, through proxies.

The commission’s spokesman, Mr. Femi Babafemi, last night told Sunday Compass that while the trial in Abuja remained ongoing, the EFCC would continue with its investigations on el-Rufai as more discoveries are made.

“The EFCC is already in court to revoke the allocation by el-Rufai of multi-billion plots of land in Abuja to his wives and friends. The plots were originally allocated for infrastructural development in the Abuja Master-plan,” an EFCC source said.

Othman’s firm, according to the EFCC, owns major estates that are scattered all over Abuja, most of which are fronts for the former minister.

During the arrest of Othman in 2009, EFCC officials found documents belonging to the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) in his custody. They also found minutes of government meetings as well as

government cheques, land allocation forms and official letters on him.

At Court 5 of the Federal High Court in Abuja last week, where hearing in the trial of the former minister resumed, the EFCC accused el-Rufai of stalling the proceedings, where the former Minister challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the charges.

His counsel, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, argued in a preliminary objection that the court lacked the jurisdiction to try the matter. He said: “The Federal High Court is incompetent to try the matter because sections

26(2) and 61 (3) of the ICPC Act 2000 stipulate that prosecution for offences under that act can only be initiated at a state high court or the high court of the FCT.”

But the EFCC counsel, Adelodun Adebayo, SAN, disagreed describing the objection as an abuse of court process.”

The prosecuting counsel said that the defence was “scheming to frustrate and prolong the trial,” adding that the anti-graft agency had four witnesses on hand to testify against the former minister.

The EFCC on May 12, 2010, brought an eight-count charge criminal conspiracy, corruption, and abuse of office against the former minister. All the charges bordered on the allocation of parcels of land to el-Rufai’s wives,

Hadiza El-Rufai and Asia, as well as his associates. The EFCC accused the former minister of ‘wrongfully and/or intentionally’ revoking the portion of land originally allocated to Power Holding Company of Nigeria Plc for the purpose of reallocating same to his relatives and friends.Justice Adamu Bello, who presided over the sitting adjourned the case to July 26, 2010, for adoption of addresses for and against the preliminary objection.

It was allegedly discovered from the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) that on May 28, 2007, el-Rufai’s last day in office, he signed off 73 plots of land to individuals.

It was also alleged that none of the beneficiaries of the plots either signed for, or collected the Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) in person.

The forms were reportedly received by one Cyril Ezeamaka. Also, Ezeamaka and one Babatunde Adetoba were claimed to have at different periods signed for and collected the C-of-O for about 100 plots of lands allocated to various individuals.

In a letter dated August 7, 2006, the attention of the then President Olusegun Obasanjo was called to the fact that el-Rufai allocated 28 plots of land to Othman, his personal friend.

The lands, located in various parts of the FCT, including Maitama, Asokoro, Garki, Wuse I and II, Utako, Dutse, Jabi and Galadimawa were allegedly allocated to him under the names of some companies.

They were: System Property Development Consortium, four plots; Pure Technical Services Limited, two plots; various members of the Othman family, six plots; Zihabit Limited, six plots; and Umaru S. Magori, six plots, among others.

Others names mentioned in the alleged scam include Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal and Peter Akagu who served as Chief of Staff and Personal Assistant respectively to El-Rufai.

Both were accused of allocating choice plots to themselves and later selling them off.

Mallam Abdu Mukhtar, chairman of the committee charged with the sale of Federal Government Houses in the FCT and a member of the el-Rufai administration’s allocation committee, was also fingered as one those allocated choice plots in Maitama, Jabi and Wuse II and who later sold it off.


http://www.compassnewspaper.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8881:efcc-traces-el-rufais-alleged-loot-to-us-uk&catid=308:headlines&Itemid=600

He has always been a corrupt man. Aisha Kolo's case still fresh,

Nigeria is too bloody corrupt

I simple hate all this Press Releases. If you have your facts that someone is corrupt, prosecute the person and get it over with.

All we have now is, if you criticize the government, you will start seeing all these press releases reminding you - how EFCC traced your loot to your fore-fathers.

Haha, who says Nigeria is not a fcking Mafian Business?

This is coming moments after EL-Rufai's critique of the current administration. Wasn't there a statement from the Jonathan campaign team about how "ungrateful" El Rufai is after being pardoned by the President? I presume this latest moves will be to "teach him some lessons" not to "insult elders". . . . . . .thumbs up guys, way to go!

Let's leave the obvious thieves in their homes, perhaps even pay them a lifetime mouth gapping wage figures while we send EFCC grasping at straws.

^^ He should support PDP & GEJ! Case closed.

Nigeria is a crazy country, I knew this is going to happen, how can you compare the president to a local government chairman and get away with it. EFCC should be scraped, if all it does is go after people who have personal issues with presidency. How are they different from the Abacha's Strike Force?

I am sorry EFCC can never have any credibility whilst they are allowing IBB and OBJ to go free.

So EFCC cant go after people who dont have an issue with the rulling power. Better still they should start keeping quiet about their activities and allow us have our peace.

The scenario is very stable and straight forward: corrupt officials will get arrested, there will be noise coming from every angle, after a few days of noise and confusion the corrupt official will get bail and we will never hear anything about the case forever; e.g Kalu, Iyabo Obasanjo, Aborisade, fani Kayode and many others.

Solution to this mess is very simple: make BUHARI the chairman of EFCC and witness a complete turn around in a very short period. I'm certain that BUHARI will even arrest his own child if he or she is corrupt.

Nigeria as a country will not move forward as long as we continue to embrace sentiment and ignore the obvious solutions.

What does it take to sincerely tackle corruption head on?
How long are we willing to be played by the same group of people in this country?
And when do we plan to finally wake up?

Buhari doesn't know Physics, Chemistry Biology, Geography or maths, but the general will do well leading the EFCC team.
His name as the chairman alone will shake down politics in Nigeria.

Fact:99.999% of the newly selected ministers are only coming to steal as much as possible for the next 4 years. And absolutely nothing to offer this country.

Our destiny is in our pockets, it is totally up to you and I.

Selective justice.

Jonathan's wife should also get probed too. . .

Seriously, we need change in EFCC! When will the change come? Transformation!!! LOL