Facts have emerged that the erstwhile Governor of Lagos state, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu may have been involved in a white heroin trafficking network which operated in Chicago and some parts of Indiana and led by one Adegboyega Mueez Akande between 1988 and 1993. The source of the white heroine was identified as one Mr. Lee Andrew Edwards who was incarcerated for attempting to murder a federal agent while the agent was executing a search warrant on him.

According to the Verified Complaint for forfeiture in case No. 93 C 4483 Obtained by SaharaReporters, which was filed on July 26, 1993 before the Hon. Judge Nordberg of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the United States Government urged the Court to order the forfeiture of funds in accounts Nos. 263226700 held by First Heritage Bank in the name of Bola Tinubu, funds in accounts 39483134, 39483396, 4650279566, 00400220, 39936404 and 39936383 held by Citibank N.A in the name of Bola Tinubu and funds in accounts 52050-89451952,52050-89451952, 52050-89451953 held by Citibank in the name of Bola Tinubu because there was probable cause to believe that the funds in Tinubu’s bank accounts represented proceeds of narcotics trafficking or were monies involved in financial transactions in violations of 18 U.S.C, sections 1956 and 1957 and therefore, was forfeitable to the U.S Government.

However, in a tacit defense of the ownership of the funds, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu averred in Court that the funds belonged to himself, his wife, K.O Tinubu and his surrogate mother, Alhaja Mogaji and warranted that they had exclusive right, title and interest to the funds.

In an affidavit sworn to by Kevin Moss, a Special Agent with the United States Internal Revenue Service, criminal investigation division in support of the verified complaint for forfeiture of Bola Tinubu’s moneys held in various Bank accounts, the agent gave a vivid account of how he came to the conclusion that the funds were proceeds of narcotics transaction in violation of the U.S law.

Mr. Moss averred that prior to and during 1988; the government became involved in the investigation of a white heroin trafficking network operating in Chicago, Illinois and Hammond, Indiana. The investigation disclosed that an individual known as Lee Andrew Edwards was a source of white heroin. The government sources provided information about Lee Andrew Edwards including the identity of a telephone number which activated in electronic pager. This pager according to him was to be called to place an order for white heroin. According to Mr. Moss, this pager was subscribed to by one Adegboyega Mueez Akande who at that time was a resident of Chicago.

Mr. Moss further averred that during February 1988, an individual named Abiodun Agbele arrived in the U.S from Nigeria and during investigation by the government, Agbele disclosed that Akande was his uncle who provided him an apartment in Hammond, Indiana.

According to Agbele, Mr. Akande returned to Nigeria in1990; however, before he left, he instructed Agbale to serve as a source of white heroin for Mr. Lee Andrew Edwards as a result of which Agbele sold white heroin for Lee Andrew Edwards on numerous occasions. Following a tip off, Agbele sold one ounce of white heroin to a law enforcement agent undercover on November 28, 1990 for $7,000 and was subsequently arrested. After his arrest, Agbele agreed to cooperate with the law enforcement agents regarding the white heroin distribution and network of Akande.

According to Agbele, Akande controlled the operation of white heroin from Nigeria in conjunction with other individuals in Nigeria and the U.S. One other individual who worked with Akande according to the affidavit was identified as Bola Tinubu who later became the governor of Lagos state from 1999 to 2007.

The investigation also revealed that in December 1989, Akande took Bola Tinubu to First Heritage bank where Bola Tinubu opened an individual money market. In the account opening application, Tinubu, gave his address as 7504 South Stewart, Chicago, the same address used previously by Akande and his company, Globe-Link. This is the same address used as the drop-off point for packages from Nigeria that contained the white heroin. According to bank records, Bola Tinubu also opened a joint checking account in his name and the name of his wife, Oluremi Tinubu. Mrs. Tinubu had previously opened a joint Bank account also in the same bank with Abdrey Akande, the wife of the heroin kingpin, Adegboyega Mueez Akande.

Upon opening the account, Tinubu deposited the sum of $1,000 in traveler’s check. However, five days after opening the account, specifically, on January 4, 1990, Tinubu deposited the sum of $80,000 into the account.

According to the federal agent, in a credit application dated January 6, 1990, Bola Tinubu disclosed that he resided at 7504 South Stewart and that Mueez A. Akande was his cousin. Tinubu further stated that he was an employee of Mobil Oil Nigeria Limited, Fairfax, Virginia and his take home pay was $2,400 per month. Additionally, Tinubu stated on the application that he had no other sources of income and listed his wife, Oluremi Tinubu as co-applicant for the application for automobile loan. The loan was secured with the certificate of deposit in the amount of $10,000 which Tinubu had purchased with a withdrawal from the $80,000 deposit in his checking account.

According to the federal agent, Bank records from First heritage Bank disclosed that in 1990 alone, Bola Tinubu deposited $661,000 into his individual money market account and in 1993; he deposited the sum of $1,216,500 into the same money market account. The agent further avers that in 1991, Tinubu began opening accounts at Citibank in the section known as the world-wide personal banking unit where he transferred the sum of $560,000 from his money market account at the First Heritage Bank.

This development prompted the Federal agents to interview representatives from Mobil Oil regarding Tinubu’s employment status and his take-home pay. The Mobil Oil representatives confirmed to the investigators that Tinubu was employed by the Mobil Oil as a treasurer. Mobil Oil further told the federal agents that this position did not involve the transfer of large amounts of money between banking institutions. Mobil oil representatives also stated that under no circumstance would Tinubu be permitted to retain money belonging to Mobil Oil in accounts bearing Tinubu’s name. Finally, Mobil Oil confirmed that the corporation never had any accounts in banks in the southern suburbs of Chicago.

On January 10, 1992, the federal agents obtained a court Order freezing Tinubu’s accounts at First Heritage Bank and Citibank respectively. Thereafter, Tinubu contacted the First Heritage Bank to transfer money from his accounts and was advised that the accounts had been seized by the U.S Treasury.

On January 13, 1992, Mr. Moss, the Federal agent contacted Bola Tinubu in Nigeria by phone using a number provided to the First Heritage Bank by Tinubu himself. Mr. Moss averred that during the course of the interview, Bola Tinubu confirmed that he knew Mueez Adegboyega Akande. Tinubu further admitted during the interview with the federal agent that he had wire transferred $100,000 to Akande’s bank account in Houston and that the $80,000.00 of the funds used to open the account at First Heritage Bank had come from Akande. Tinubu further admitted that he had other accounts in Fairfax, Virginia and London.

Concluding his affidavit evidence, Mr. Moss stated that with all these evidence, there was probable cause to believe that the funds in the accounts held by First Heritage Bank and Citibank, N.A in the name of Bola Tinubu represented property that was involved in narcotics transaction in violation of the U.S law. He therefore, urged the Court to issue an order of forfeiture of the funds.

After a protracted litigation in which Bola Tinubu claimed that the monies legitimately belonged to him, his wife, Oluremi Tinubu and his surrogate mother, one Alhaja Mogaji, Bola Tinubu finally opted for a stipulated settlement with the U.S government. According to the settlement Order dated September 15, 1993; Hon. Judge John A Nordberg ordered that the sum of $460,000 held by Bola Tinubu in The First Heritage Bank account be forfeited to the United States Government. The Court also ordered the release of the funds held in the Citibank account and any money held in excess of $460,000 at the First Heritage account to Bola Tinubu in line with the agreement and stipulation reached by Tinubu with the federal agents.

Ironically, this case came up at the peak of the struggle against the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election by the Gen. Babagida-led military junta during which time Tinubu as a member and one of the leading financiers of the National democratic Coalition (NADECO) made several “pro-democracy” trips to the U.S ostensibly to press for U.S sanctions against the Nigerian junta. It is therefore doubtful whether most of those trips were actually connected with the June 12, struggle after all.

Source: http://saharareporters.com/2008/09/15/how-us-federal-agents-succesfully-linked-bola-tinubu-drug-trafficking-ring-chicago

Damn! Yawa don gas for my Oga at the Top. Who own this Sahara (saTanoid) reporters self? Hope is not what am am thinking?

If he is guilty, let efcc and ndlea prosecute him,
If USA want him, let him be extradited to face his crime.
But if not,
Kindly shut up!

Pangea:
If he is guilty, let efcc and ndlea prosecute him,
If USA want him, let him be extradited to face his crime.
But if not,
Kindly shut up!

APC needs to do the needful first. They need to sack Tinubu the drug baron and desist from calling him a leader in the leading party. That is an insult to Nigerians.

Sahara reporters reporting something bad against Tinubu? Now I am confused.

I know Tanoids will believe Sahara reporters now since its reporting against there lord Tinubu.

Ehen, how exactly are dey supposed to sack their leader? I'm confused cos wat I'm familiar wit is bosses sackin d employees...not d other way round

Agents of Change. Tinubu the leader.

Trash bin pls !!

I was expecting to see where Tinubu was caught with drugs or one of his boys caught n said he was recruited by Tinubu.

Usa made a deal with him, if it was really drug money will USA make a deal with him? if they do they are also guilty then.

Is this the best you guys can do? @ sahara reporters and whoever sponsored this trash.

I expected something better !!! you suddenly rose up from the dead or you were suddenly kick started.

Bunch of hypocrites.

APC used drug money to win elections and now trying to crucify the drug baron? This is laughable.

Like it or not, Sahara Reporters are not afraid of anybody.

Hmmmnn, oro agba

sharah reporters don come again. just laughing in Spanish nw.

I don't really like Tinubu but let's all think about this, does the US government get into agreements of JUST Forfeiture of a major drug dealer's possessions instead of major jail time ? A capital no! Does the US government allow an accused major drug dealer to ever step foot in the US?? Capital no! But Tinubu goes to the US regularly. He would gave been arrested or deported.has the US government ever asked for Tinubu's extradition? ?no!...

Justcash:


APC needs to do the needful first. They need to sack Tinubu the drug baron and desist from calling him a leader in the leading party. That is an insult to Nigerians.

^^^^^^^^^
@justcash

The post by YOU the OP amounts to a defamation
of character punishable by imprisonment!

Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu is NOT a drug baron.
If he was, the Americans would have arrested
him long ago. Tinubu TRAVELS to the U.S. regularly
and was at the U.S. Congress this year!

The Americans have zero-tolerance for
drug barons or drug pushers, and Tinubu
who is a brilliant chartered accountant has
also been cleared by the Americans.

The story posted here by the OP is very old
or STALE and had been overtaken long ago
by events!

The OP should stop the hatred towards Tinubu
and stop the sensationism.

Tinubu since 2007 has NOT had political
immunity, yet the PDP-government of GEJ in
it's dying days started a print media and AIT
and NTA attack on Tinubu in order to make
people hate this man. Why wasn't he arrested
and charged before the elections?

I'm a bit angry with Tinubu for not taking these
malicious attacks by all manners of people
seriously until he finally sued AIT. By the
time he makes a scape-goat out of these
people spreading Defamatory and
sensational lies about him online and
offline, then these group of Nigerians
will realise that LIBEL/DEFAMATION of
character is a criminal offence all over
the world!

I remember the late Emeka Ojukwu in the
1990s sued a media outfit for publishing
false information about him and he won
by being awarded some millions of Naira
in compensation. Tinubu should be more
serious about dealing with anyone that
defames him online and offline because
there is a well-targeted attempt by his
political opponents affiliated to mainly
the rival political party and tribal/ethnic
bigots to lower his reputation in the eyes
of the public, and it is working especially
among the gullible folks who do NOT
bother to ask critical questions.


#EnoughSaid

@post,

Anyone who reads the post before commenting will understand that this is a case of no case.

In summary, a man opens an account and suddenly starts depositing huge sums of money. The agency responsible for monitoring gets worried and queries his source of money and assumes it MAY be narcotics because it exceeded the maximum returns on his sole source of income. The man maintains the money belongs to him, his wife and mother. Finally, the man, the prosecutor and the judge settle for forfeiture of a part of the money. Shikena. Case closed. Case ends!

Tinubu is a freaking brilliant and smart man!

Pangea:
If he is guilty, let efcc and ndlea prosecute him,
If USA want him, let him be extradited to face his crime.
But if not,
Kindly shut up!

Hahaha. I love the fact they even brought this up. The same people that went to town wailing all over the streets that SR is under Tinubu's payroll have gone to exhume a 2009 article they published about him.

On this case, Tinubu was acquitted and discharged.

Mapletraks:


^^^^^^^^^
@justcash

The post by YOU the OP amounts to a defamation
of character punishable by imprisonment!

Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu is NOT a drug baron.
If he was, the Americans would have arrested
him long ago. Tinubu TRAVELS to the U.S. regularly
and was at the U.S. Congress this year!

The Americans have zero-tolerance for
drug barons or drug pushers, and Tinubu
who is a brilliant chartered accountant has
also been cleared by the Americans.

The story posted here by the OP is very old
or STALE and had been overtaken long ago
by events!

The OP should stop the hatred for Tinubu
and stop the sensationism.

Tinubu since 2007 has NOT had political
immunity, yet the PDP-government of GEJ in
it's dying days started a print media and AIT
and NTA attack on Tinubu in order to make
people hate this man. Why wasn't he arrested
and charged before the elections?

I'm s bit angry with Tinubu for not taking these
malicious attacks by all manners of people
seriously until he finally sued AIT. By the
time he makes a scape-goat out of these
people spreading Defamatory and
sensational lies about him online and
offline, then these group of Nigerians
will realise that LIBEL/DEFAMATION of
character is a criminal offence all over
the world!

I remember the late Emeka Ojukwu in the
1990s sued a media outfit for publishing
false information about him and he won
by being awarded some millions of Naira
in compensation. Tinubu should be more
serious about dealing with anyone that
defames him online and offline because
their is a well-targeted attempt by his
political opponents affiliated to mainly
the rival political party and tribal/ethnic
bigots to lower his reputation in the eyes
of the public, and it is working especially
among the gullible folks who do NOT
bother to ask critical questions.


#EnoughSaid

They would rather ignore the facts and hold on tight to their warped understanding of the event because that is what suits them the most after being dealt a bloody nose yesterday.

Imagine the same people claiming SR is under Tinubu's payroll. . Isn't this just a double tragedy?

nmanma1:
sharah reporters don come again. just laughing in Spanish nw.

If you had opened the link you'd understand this is a very old story. And Tiger28's explains the story of the case perfectly.

sameer1212:
Sahara reporters reporting something bad against Tinubu? Now I am confused.

First this is an old article. Secondly, it is only Jonathanians and PDP supporters that keep thinking SR is under the thumb of APC or Tinubu. They hate to see the truth being published. They (PDP supporters) attacked SR when they exposed Oduagate, Ettehgate, Patience Jonathan's money laundering case, Alison Madueke's sleaze, etc, but they (SR) remained dogged unfazed under all that and keep doing a good job of exposing fraud wherever they find it.

Imagine these guys who just created a thread blasting them for publishing Saraki's case file, saying they are being sponsored by Tinubu, have now gone to get a story about their alleged sponsor from the same site. Isn't that hypocritical??

SR is fearless and far more independent that most other newspapers, online and print.

Now let President Buhari's anti-corruption war begin.

Cases like these should be thoroughly investigated.

omenka:
Hahaha. I love the fact they even brought this up. The same people that went to town wailing all over the streets that SR is under Tinubu's payroll have gone to exhume a 2009 article they published about him.

On this case, Tinubu was acquitted and discharged.

Except that we are yet to see documentary evidence of his acquittal. Y'all defending Tinubu should know sensible Nigerians will not join you in your fools' paradise! Trash!

Igbo kwenu mumu dey worry all of una clowns

Borderless:


Except that we are yet to see documentary evidence of his acquittal. Y'all defending Tinubu should know sensible Nigerians will not join you in your fools' paradise! Trash!

Don't be lazy bro, you can request the information you seek from America and get it with ease. American ambassadors and officials have visited him severally here in Nigeria and taken photos with him, he was even at the U.S Democratic party convention some Years ago and pictures of him at the event are all over the net. Again I repeat, don't be lazy.

Afterall the frog eyed Tinubu was a drug baron. Good to know they have thieves masking as progressive in APC. This country is a huge joke.

Where are the idiotic brainless Tandroids that said tinubu owns Sahara reporters. The illiterates will avoid this thread like plague, bunch of hypocrites and wee-brain things.

Sahara reporters remain the number 1 investigative journalistic outfit in nigeria. They should be saluted for their bravery and uprightness.

While a very dumb Nigerian, Nnamdi Kanu, incites violence from his comfortable abode in the UK, Omoyele Sowore of SR deploys his outreach for just and democratic causes. THE DIFFERENCE IS INDEED VERY CLEAR

If any leader want to live long don't try to touch Tinubu otherwise he might not live to regret it. You don't use him when you need something and get rid of him when you get what you want dangerous moves.

This thread reminds me of 'beaf'.

Who does Sahara reporters now drum for?