Barring any hitch, Nigerians will in April witness another round of prosecution against some top ex-government functionaries, AljazirahNigeria authoritatively learnt.

These include Anyim Pius Anyim, former Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) and ex-governors of Akwa Ibom, Enugu and Ebonyi, Godswill Akpabio, Sullivan Chime and Sam Egwu respectively.

Others likely to have their day in court are the former executive secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) Prof. Julius Okojie as well as one time director in the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Alhaji Aminu Ibrahim Gaya.

They will have cases opened against them by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for pilfering public funds.

All of them had their cases initiated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) but lack of diligent prosecution saw the cases waiting in the cooler.

It is however expected that, at the CCT, their cases would be treated with a different touch and speed.



Anyim Pius Anyim

He has been accused of corruptly enriching himself while holding the office of the SGF consequent upon which he used the proceeds, to cling onto his loot and spoils of office as well as buying a controversial housing estate.

Another major scandal he has been fingered in is that which revolves around the Centenary City project. It was said in some circles that Anyim persuaded former President Goodluck Jonathan to sign the Centenary City documents without the ex-president reading the contents or consulting his advisers.

The Centenary City project is sitting on a land area covering over 1, 500 hectares, the size of three districts in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The facts relating to the transaction and the role played by Anyim in that regard have been described as “a scam” perpetrated by a United Arab Emirates company, allegedly operating as a front for Anyim.

AljazirahNigeria reports the original landlords of the expansive land demanded compensation from the federal government, but the sponsors of the project used a private firm to pay them N1.2 billion.

The project which is in the region of $4 billion, is said has violated procurement process and rules guiding the granting of free trade zone status by the Nigerian Export Processing Zonal Authority (NEPZA).

At a recent House of Representatives committee hearing, the lawmakers headed by Hon. Herman Hembe insisted that, they established that both the Right of Occupancy and Certificate of Occupancy for the project were issued 24 hours apiece, “as against the provision that it will be awarded in phases.”

Investors in the project also failed to pay a N350m “commitment” legal fee.

Another lapse was that while the original agreement authorised by Jonathan approved a 48-month completion period for the project, it was later altered to read “60 months to 120 months” without recourse to him.

The agreement also showed that should the investors fail to meet the key conditions within 180 days of starting the processing, the agreement was “deemed terminated by both parties.”

AljazirahNigeria gathered that the committee also named two individuals as the real owners of the Centenary City. These are Mr. Paul Oki and Mrs. Bona Ozobia.

The duo floated two companies, Basic Start Limited, and Company First Limited, which have only N10,000:00 shareholding capacity each.

They are said to be the only directors of the companies and own the controversial city.

Anyim would be made to answer questions as to why in reality, the multi-billion-naira city has provided nothing but agony and controversy. There is no city to speak of and there are no houses, no residents, no beautiful lawns or classy cars cruising well paved roads. Forests surround the site. The city has failed to take off, yet so much illicit practices have characterised it.



Godswill Akpabio

Godswill Akpabio, the former two-time governor of Akwa Ibom state is now the Senate minority leader.

In the past, he incurred the wrath of the anti-graft agency for not turning up on the said date after he had been duly served with the summons to appear and answer questions relating to series of petitions written against him bordering on abuse of office, diversion of funds and abuse of public trust.

In one of them, an Abuja-based lawyer, Leo Ekpenyong and native of the state and Oro Youth Movement, one of the socio-political groups in the state, alleged that there was massive looting of Akwa Ibom State funds by the Akpabio administration.

As a prelude to bringing the former governor to justice, the EFCC summoned and interrogated top officials of his administration as well as his close allies.

However, Akpabio, who was summoned by the agency to appear on August 27, 2015, did not do so having moved against the invitation of then EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, by the Senate over unremitted funds.

Based on that subtle support for the EFCC boss, he jetted out of the country a few days after not responding to the summon by the agency.

Media reports at that time indicated that most of the officials who served under Akpabio who were invited by the EFCC to state what they knew about the diversion of funds of the state, made incriminating remarks against the former governor.

It was at that juncture that, Mr. Akpabio, accompanied by his lawyer, Mr. Ricky Tarfa, arrived the EFCC office and underwent interrogation by a crack team.

An EFCC operative said then: “Akpabio was brought in at about 5.20 pm accompanied by a few aides and Mr. Rickey Tarfa.

“It not yet known whether he will be allowed to go this night. It depends on how the interrogation goes.”

EFCC equally summoned the author, Mr. Ekpenyong, to adopt his petition and provide more details to some of the allegations he made against Mr. Akpabio.

The allegations against the senator among others are that, the state government under him spent N50 billion on the March 2015 in the same manner as he acquired a 25-storey building in Victoria Island in addition to owning a house at 22 Probyn Road, Ikoyi in Lagos. Other landed properties included are those located on Number 5 Okokosi Close, Maitama and Plot 28 Colorado Close, Maitama in Abuja.

He is also accused of diverting or wasting over N2 trillion as allocation accruing to the state.



Sam Egwu

Dr. Sam Egwu, former governor of Ebonyi State, is also a senator of the federal republic of Nigeria.

The can of worms was opened by Coalition for Good Governance in Ebonyi State (COGGES) in a “comprehensive report on the systematic but ruthless looting of public funds and resources of Ebonyi State by Dr. Sam Ominyi Egwu and his wife from 1999-May 2007: A Case Study of Corruption, Public Deceit and Embezzlement,” which was signed by the coalition’s President, Ogazi Linus Ogbonnaya.

AljazirahNigeria investigation reveals that, arranged in two volumes, the first details the facts of every allegation made against Egwu, while the second contains appendices of documents to prove each allegation.

In all, Egwu and his wife were alleged to have appropriated close to N80 billion out of the over N150 billion accruing to the state as revenue under his eight year-watch while leaving behind accumulated debt profile of N10 billion.

Another allegation against Egwu is false declaration of assets. In his Assets Declaration Form, dated 21 July 1999, Egwu claimed that he had three buildings located in Amoffia Ngbo, Ezzamgbo and Abakaliki, all valued at N15 million. But Egwu’s accusers are challenging him, claiming that it was a lie fabricated to cover up intended and pre-determined fraudulent acquisition of property while in office.

They allege that Dr. Egwu, both as a lecturer at the then Enugu State University of Technology, Abakaliki campus (now Ebonyi State University) and later Commissioner for Education, had no personal house at Abakaliki, the state capital, or his town, Amoffia.

They insist that the university accommodated him at its quarters in a two-bedroom flat at 25 Igweorie Street, Abakaliki.

The former governor was accused of acquiring properties valued at N12.588 billion. They include a five-star hotel called Grace Court Hotel and Suites, valued at over N2 billion and situated along Nna Street, Abakaliki. Built within two years in a residential area, Egwu and his wife started acquiring adjoining properties to make the hotel premises bigger. To gain ownership of the N30 million property of Mr. Dominic Aja, the Head of Service in the state, the former governor built a similar structure for him near the hotel.

The Egwus also own Hope High International School, Abakaliki, valued at over N1.2 billion. Constructed within one year, the school which admitted its first set of students in 2003, is situated on 40 hectares of land, which originally belonged to the state government. A mansion along Pontius Ibogu Street, off Ezza road, Abakaliki, valued at N850 million was also mentioned.

In the same manner, a block of 12 flats at Eboh Street, valued at N45 million; a similar N35 million structure at 8 Francis Orji Street, and another N55 million property at 3 Douglas Ogbonna Street, all in Abakaliki as well as N50 million duplex at Umuebe, Ezzamgbo, in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state, were traced to him in that petition.

The former Ebonyi governor was accused of using proceeds from corrupt practices to become the owner of an ultra-modern farm and country home, both valued at N820 million. Also listed as part of Egwu’s booty are: a duplex with surrounding bungalows worth N25 million at Otuokpeye, Amoffia Ngbo, where his parents hailed from; a duplex at Mrs Egwu’s family compound at Ezzamgbo with a network of tarred roads, all valued at N85m; a four-storey edifice at Ezzamgbo worth over N80m; petrol filling stations at Amasiri, Ebonyi State and Port Harcourt, Rivers State, worth over N150m; a seven-hectare fenced plot at Mile 50, Abakiliki, purchased from the Pecuno family at the cost of N35m and a private recreational centre and resort opposite Hope International High School, Onwe Road, Abakaliki valued at N200m.

AljazirahNigeria learnt that the petitioners alleged that Egwu cornered an over 500-metre stretch of land between Ezzambgo Motor Park and the bridge on the way to Enugu,which is worth over N20m; a building belonging to R.O. Nkwocha at 68\72 Presidential Road, opposite Presidential Hotel, Enugu purchased by proxy for N700m; former Seven-Up Bottling Company, along Independence Avenue, Enugu purchased for N500m; a mansion at Victoria Island, Lagos valued at N710m; a hotel nearing completion along Independence Avenue, Enugu worth over N600m, and over 200 choice plots of land within and outside Abakiliki valued at over N300m.

“Egwu’s foray into blue chip companies was total and sweeping. At the home front, the former governor commandeered majority shareholding interest in Eastern Bulkcem Limited by proxy investors in Nigercem at a value of N1.1billion. Determined to consolidate the Nigercem deal, Egwu committed N200m of Ebonyi State government funds to the acquisition of 10 per cent of the company’s equity, a transaction facilitated by the now distressed Allstates Trust Bank in 2004.

“Egwu incorporated Hardis Nigeria Limited to manufacture interlocking tiles, polythene products and table water. The company has been the sole supplier of interlocking tiles used in Government House since 2006. The former governor also acquired shares in the defunct Standard Trust Bank plc via proxies valued at over N350m in addition to shares worth over N850m in Access, Intercontinental, UBA and Zenith banks through proxies,” the petition read inter alia.

It could be recalled that, Egwu was dragged before the Code of Conduct Tribunal in the past for making false declaration of his assets between May 1999 and 2006, especially for failing to declare a duplex building in his country home, which the bureau valued of N50m.

According to the bureau’s prosecutor, OT Olatigbe, Egwu was also charged with acquiring above his legitimate means A 5-Star Hotel named Grace Court Hotel, Abakaliki and High Hope International School valued at N350 million, which he acquired by proxy contrary to Section 10 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap C15 LFN 2004 and “punishable under section 23 off same Act, as incorporated under paragraph 18, part 1, fifth schedule to the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’’.

The petitioners in their calculation based on revenue allocations to the state projected that close to N15 billion must have been concealed and stashed away by the former governor in his eight-year rule.

Quoting a committee report on the salaries of primary school teachers in the state, COGGES spared no punches in lampooning Egwu’s claim to instituting a sound education legacy for the state. The report revealed how the former governor connived with Austin Edeze, the state’s UBEB chairman, alleged to have connived to establish 50 non-existent primary schools, with more than 2000 ghost teachers and 100,000 phantom pupils which saw them defrauding UBE and its funding partners to the tune of over N83m.

“Yet the UBE largesse would seem like toffees when compared with the close to N500m plunder by the duo via the release of N1.1billion by Egwu to Edeze for the construction of 300 UBE blocks in the three senatorial zones of the state. The greater chunk of the project which cost was put at N3.7m per block was awarded to Ultimate Ezes Limited owned by Edeze, Egwu’s UBE chairman.

“In one instance, a contract for the building of resident doctors’ quarters at Ebonyi State Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki valued at N328.5m was awarded to Partengoff Nigeria Limited, owned by Olisa Metu, Egwu’s close associate, via a letter of intent, with no evidence of the company’s application. Without subjecting the contract to tender or F&GPC consideration, Egwu approved the payment of N60m mobilisation with no performance bond/bank guarantee.

“In another case, contract for the purchase of Peugeot vehicles for official use was awarded to M.N Nwankwo, Egwu’s Principal Secretary, for N16.7m. Another contract for the supply of an unspecified number of vehicles was later awarded to KEE Ventures Limited for N67.5m, with N64m mobilisation paid upfront, representing 94 per cent of the contract sum, leaving a balance of N3.5m. Curiously, an additional N10m was handed to KEE Ventures upon delivery of the vehicles as payment for upward variation of the contract and the outstanding balance”, COGGES stressed.

Before the recent travel jamboree, this newspaper learnt that the governor had in 2001 fraudulently designated his younger brother, Joseph O. Egwu, as an Investment Officer of Ebonyi State government and also designated his brother-in-law, Donald O. Ogba, an Education Officer of the state government for the purpose of securing travel visas to the US along with a delegation of Ebonyi State government officials under his leadership as Head of Delegation.

That trip cost the state N14.7m.

Characteristically, Egwu was reported to have debunked all the allegations.

CHIME

Sullivan Chime

Former Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, is another person that is expected to face the tribunal in April.

Already, himself and two of his sons, Nnamdi Chime and Tochukwu Chime, appeared before a federal high court in Enugu, to answer charge preferred against them by the EFCC bothering on alleged corruption and looting of resources of the state.

Chime and his sons appeared before the court through their lawyers as respondents in the suit brought by a former national auditor of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ray Nnaji, seeking for an order to compel EFCC to investigate the former governor.

After the court sitting, Nnaji told journalists that he applied to EFCC to investigate Chime and his associates who succeeded in cannibalizing the state by virtue of the EFCC Act but unfortunately the commission seems not to be serious about investigating the former Governor. Nnaji explained that the foot-dragging of EFCC prompted him to apply for judicial review, seeking for mandamus to compel the agency to do with its work and Code of Conduct Bureau to release assets declaration forms of the former governor between 1999 and 2014, as well as the RMAFC to release his entitlements in office as governor between 2007 and 2015.

Nnaji further asked the Accountant General of Enugu State to release all documents in respect of incomes and expenditure of the state under the Chime administration.

The petition was tagged, ‘Official corruption, misappropriation, embezzlement, stealing, forgery and criminal conversion against Governor Sullivan Chime and Chief Ikeje Asogwa (former Enugu PDP chairman) – A clarion call for serious investigation’.

Nnaji describing his petition as patriotic charged the EFCC to intervene in the “open day robbery of the resources of the state by the governor, his close associates and relations.”

Among the allegations, he asked the agency to investigate are: “misappropriation of public funds worth over N12.8bn and forgery of public document (the supplementary appropriation law, 2012, to cover up same.” It must be remembered that the same alleged forgery of the 2012 supplementary budget was cited by some members of the Enugu State House of Assembly when they moved to impeach the governor for gross misconduct on Monday.

Nnaji said in the petition, “Without budgetary provisions and appropriation law backing the said expenditure, Governor Sullivan Chime proceeded to spend public funds belonging to Enugu State to the tune of about N12.8bn in 2012 and misappropriated and diverted the sum into his private use without the required approval by the Enugu State House of Assembly.

“And in order to cover up this criminal and unconstitutional act, Governor Sullivan Chime and his cohort – Chief Ikeje Asogwa and others subsequently proceeded to forge a document titled ‘The Enugu State of Nigeria Supplementary Appropriation Law, 2012.

Nnaji also asked the EFCC to investigate the alleged inflation of the cost of some projects and stealing of public funds through the Enugu State Project Development and Implementation Unit, otherwise known as PD1.


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