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Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC - Politics - Nairaland

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Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by peteregwu(m): 1:38am On Apr 15, 2017
The controversy surrounding the ownership of the N13bn ($43.4m, N23m and £27,000) found by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at the Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, took a dramatic turn on Friday evening when Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and the National Intelligence Agency claimed ownership of the money.

The National Intelligence Agency on Friday said the money belonged to it.

A national daily had earlier reported that the money belonged to the NIA. Sources at the agency confirmed to one our correspondents late Friday that the money belonged to the agency and that it had written a formal letter to President Muhammadu Buhari to claim ownership of the money.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the NIA, which is Nigeria’s foreign intelligence service, explained that the money, which was found on the seventh floor of the building, was approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan for covert operations and security projects covering a period of years.


The money was said to have been released in bits during the tenure of a former NIA director-general.

A source said that the cash was approved before the advent of the Treasury Single Account.

He stated that the Director-General of the NIA, Amb. Ayo Oke; the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu; and the National Security Adviser, Babagana Moguno, had met over the issue. A Presidency source also confirmed the meeting to one of our correspondents.

The NIA source explained that when EFCC operatives stormed the Ikoyi property on Wednesday, they were informed that the said apartment was a safe house of the NIA from which discreet operations were carried out.

The EFCC boss, however, rejected all entreaties from the NIA and entered the building, breaking the fireproof safes and taking the money.

The source, who wished to remain anonymous because he was not authorised to speak with the media, said, “The money belongs to the NIA. It is for covert operations and security projects covering a period of years.The DG has met with the President, he has explained everything to him. The President asked him to put everything into writing and he has done so.


“The entire chain of events was a big misunderstanding. That place was an NIA safe house and you have to understand that the NIA carries out discreet investigation in conjunction with many agencies across the world.

“On the day the EFCC men gathered around the house, the NIA reached out to Magu to explain to him that the money was the property of the Federal Government and the place was an NIA safe house. Unfortunately, the EFCC still went ahead to break down the doors.”

But Wike, who described the claim that the cash belonged to the NIA as balderdash, alleged that the immediate past governor of the state and the current Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, kept the money in the apartment.

As such, the Rivers State governor gave the Federal Government a seven-day ultimatum to return the money to the state government or be ready to face legal action.


Speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Friday night, Wike said the $43m was part of the proceeds from the sale of a gas turbine by the immediate past administration, adding that the gas turbine was initially built by the Peter Odili administration.

The governor further challenged the Federal Government to set up a commission of inquiry to probe the source of the huge money found in the flat, insisting that the funds belonged to Rivers people and should be returned to the owners within seven days.

He said, “All these things they are saying that the $43m belong to the Nigerian Intelligence Agency is balderdash. When did the NIA begin to keep money in houses? As I speak to you now, the Federal Government is so embarrassed.

“I want the President to set up a commission of inquiry. We don’t want to fight anybody; they should set up a commission of inquiry or return our money within seven days. If they don’t, we will take all necessary legal actions and NIA will come and prove where they got the money from.

“The $43m is the proceeds of the sale of the gas turbine sold by the immediate past administration. The gas turbine was built by the (Peter) Odili administration. It (gas turbine) was sold to Sahara Energy.

“The turbine was sold for $319m. But as of May 2015, what was in the account was $204,000. We will avail ourselves and we will be present at the commission of inquiry expected to be set up by the Federal Government. If we are invited, we will come. There is no contradiction in this at all, but I know they (FG) will not agree.”

Wike maintained that he would complete the monorail project if the Federal Government returned the $43m to Rivers State, adding that it would be “projects galore” in the state should the money be returned back to its original owner.

“Part of the money from the sale of the gas turbine was used to fund the All Progressives Congress campaign. We are telling the world that the money belongs to us. If they (FG) give us the money, I will complete the monorail project,” he said.

When contacted, the media aide to Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, Mr. David Iyofor, said he would react to Wike’s claim on Saturday (today).

The money has since been deposited into the account of the Central Bank of Nigeria following an interim forfeiture order granted by a Federal High Court in Lagos.

The court had also ruled that if the owner of the money did not show up within 30 days, it would be forfeited to the federal Government permanently.

EFCC keeps mum

All attempts to speak with the spokesperson for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, on Friday proved abortive as his phone indicated that it was switched off while a text message sent to his phone was not responded to.

It’s a security issue –Presidency

When contacted, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, directed our correspondent to the security agencies said to have been involved in the matter.

“This is not a matter for the Presidency. It is a security issue and I will advise you to get across to the agencies mentioned,” he said on the telephone.

SERAP, CD, others hit EFCC for hiding owners’ identities

But socio-political groups, including the Socio-Economic Right Accountability Project and the Campaign for Democracy, criticised the EFCC for hiding the identities of the owners of the recently recovered funds in Lagos and Kaduna.

SERAP and the CD, in separate interviews with Saturday PUNCH, said that it was anti-democratic for the EFCC to shield the identities of the owners of recovered money.

The SERAP Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said, “Whatever information that the EFCC has about any money abandoned or found in any place deserves to be released to the public. In a democracy, there can’t be opaqueness. This issue affects public interest and it is against the collective interest if the EFCC withholds the identities.

“The EFCC’s action will be contrary to public policy and anti-democratic if the information is not released. What will happen if the EFCC is not open is that it will give room for rumours, which is not good for democracy.”

In his own remarks, the CD President, Usman Abdul, said, “The EFCC of recent has just been playing to the gallery. The APC-led Federal Government should not take citizens for a ride. After the denial of the confirmation of the EFCC Chair, Magu, we have had several seizures in Kaduna and Lagos states, without anybody having being identified as the custodians of these monies.

“It is quite laughable that new notes of money, even hard to get in banks, were found and the EFCC cannot disclose who committed such acts.”

On his part, the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, said that it was unfortunate that Magu’s EFCC out of desperation had thrown caution to the wind in the desperate attempt to be in the news and excite the public.

He stated, “You found such volume of cash without any attempt to find the owners and you start a cinema of exhibit. A sergeant IPO who does that should be fired without benefits.

“You cannot tell me that you cannot trace the title of a property in Ikoyi at Alausa in a matter of hours .But it seems Magu is all about anti-corruption and seduction.

“If Magu fails to disclose the owners of the money, it means that the anti-corruption war has become a ‘night of a thousand laughs.’”

Also, the Executive Secretary, Anti-Corruption Network, Ebenezer Oyetakin, said, “The fight against corruption must be total, unambiguous, true in character and content, transparent in outlook and must not be cloudy in presentation to the public.”

He said that the shielding of the identity of the looters in itself was corruption and detrimental to the success of the fight against graft.

Oyetakin stated, “The fact that this is fuelling speculations that those involved are government officials of the present regime is too bad for the image of the government that is fighting corruption.

“This is why I must vehemently call on the EFCC to do the needful by releasing the names of the looters. The more reason why the names should be made known is to serve deterrence against such practices.

“However, I am more concerned that arresting and making this type of discovery once in a month is not the only way to fight corruption or regained the loots, otherwise fifty years will not be enough to regain looted funds.”

He called for the re-denomination of the naira, adding that owners of looted funds could come out and change their money.

A former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Adamu Mu’azu was reported to have said that he knew nothing about funds recovered at a property reported to be his in Ikoyi, Lagos.

An online newspaper, The Cable, reported that Mu’azu, who was the Governor of Bauchi State from 1999 to 2007, said he got a bank loan to acquire the land where the house was built, adding that he sold the house to pay back the loan.

Another online newspaper, Sahara Reporters, reported that the Minister of Transportation, Amaechi, said he had no connection whatsoever with the apartment or the money.

He was reported to have said that he did not own any apartment or house in Lagos, stating that his only property in Nigeria was in Abuja.



https://punchng.com/wike-nia-fight-over-ownership-of-n13bn-seized-by-efcc/amp/

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Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by Nobody: 2:06am On Apr 15, 2017
Wike said if the money is returned,it will be project galore.
He is surely high on some weed and burukutu.
How many projects has he executed?
They way he is even claiming the money is funny.very silly way of claiming money.

97 Likes 1 Share

Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by mayorb4real: 3:15am On Apr 15, 2017
there is more to the money story only known to the who is who ......... So the money was lying waste, while government was strugling to pay salaries........make i no hear recession again....

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Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by DickDastardly(m): 3:17am On Apr 15, 2017
Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by Jabioro: 3:19am On Apr 15, 2017
As usual, contradictory from government agencies in Nigeria is a norm... Wike should chilled for now you can't lay claimed, your proved is still on lamed lane.

11 Likes 1 Share

Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by schoolmaster: 3:46am On Apr 15, 2017
southniyikaye:
Wike said if the money is returned,it will be project galore.
He is surely high on some weed and burukutu.
How many projects has he executed?
They way he is even claiming the money is funny.very silly way of claiming money.

are u talking about Mr project himself? I think wike has tried in d area of projects so far. however, manar of claiming d money is poor.

101 Likes 3 Shares

Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by schoolmaster: 3:50am On Apr 15, 2017
i wonder why is taking efcc so long tracing and naming d owner of this money. or atleast tell Nigerians the owner of d apartment d money was found.

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Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by Nobody: 4:00am On Apr 15, 2017
The sad reality is that the blood of APC has washed away all the sins of Rotimi Amaechi and he has been declared a saint. I heard a voice from AZO rock: Touch not my anointed

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Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by Nobody: 4:14am On Apr 15, 2017
This is another distraction building up to an anticlimactic ending with multiple plot twists...

When will this reality show watchers wake-up there is no Federal Republic of Nigeria? All I see is Nigeria and Co LLC, a business entity that was created by the Royal Niger Company and is being run to the ground by the natives.

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Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by kingphilip(m): 5:23am On Apr 15, 2017
Also , the Executive Secretary , Anti- Corruption Network, Ebenezer Oyetakin , said , “ The fight against corruption must be total , unambiguous, true in character and content , transparent in outlook and must not be cloudy in presentation to the public . ”


This is what the fight against corruption should be all about and not just what we're witnessing today

10 Likes 1 Share

Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by Nobody: 5:31am On Apr 15, 2017
Wike the wicked clown is at it again. Like Fayose, like Wike! While one is set to liberate the republic of biafrauud that is without a purposeful and visionary leader, the other is set to complete a monorail that does not belong to his administration from the awoof money.
Still waiting for Fayose to claim the money belongs to Ekiti state government or to pdp
Shameless clowns
Pdp house, full of clowns

24 Likes 1 Share

Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by Nobody: 6:20am On Apr 15, 2017
FG should look for a better story and stop saying that the money belong to NIA

How can NIA with the scope of their job had no idea that one of their stash houses would be raided? What kind of stupid intelligence have they been gathering if they can't even keep their stash house secret?

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Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by Nbote(m): 6:38am On Apr 15, 2017
Why is dis govt so intent on fooling nigerians? Now dat BBN is over dey bring up something else to kip nigerians busy with.. So u got tips about huge sums stashed in a building u have no idea who d owner is but u somehow have d KEYS (including d spare) to d safe.. Again a so called intelligence agency had no clue one of their stash house was being raided? I was patiently waiting for dem to somehow link d story to d past govt nd quite predictably so dey have... I just pity d gullible ones who dey kip busy with all these tales by moonlight and cover ups...

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Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by greatgod2012(f): 6:40am On Apr 15, 2017
Honestly, this Nigeria should be called "home of comedy" and our leaders are the comedians!

Imagine, NIA, National Intelligence Agency, claiming they're the owner of that money, an intelligence agency that wasn't intelligent enough that such huge money shouldn't be kept in a politician's apartment and also not intelligent enough to know that EFCC can storm into such apartment anytime!


As for Wike, he might be right, because Ameachi has been mentioned as one of the prime suspects, and as we all know, he's the immediate past governor of Rivers state, so, it's possible that money belongs to Rivers state, however, the way and manner Wike is claiming that money is totally wrong!



Our politicians have finished this country! All of them, no exception, be it in PDP or APC...... all of them!

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Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by Saheed9: 6:43am On Apr 15, 2017
ameachi has been very silent about this, I'm suspecting

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Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by abescom: 6:57am On Apr 15, 2017
Magu is such a man. He rejected the claim of NIA which is very good. Now they can return the money to CBN and can reapply for the funds and it usage monitored.

Wike can go and die. If he has any evidence let him go to court.

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Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by Nobody: 7:00am On Apr 15, 2017
Hahaahhahahaha

1 Like 1 Share

Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by ificatchmodeh: 7:28am On Apr 15, 2017
All na stories.. undecided

na dem dem.. just dey stage us anyhow..

APC i hail eeh.. una too much.

criminals!

7 Likes

Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by Splashme: 7:33am On Apr 15, 2017
Chai!!!
Buhari's govt and hypocrisy!
There's God ooo...........

Magu has hit them by mistake.
Now, they are looking for a way to cover up their tracks.


Thief Amaechi caught pants down


BMC crew how market?

43 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by jessykings(f): 7:34am On Apr 15, 2017
'Laughter junction' season 1,episode 3. Patiently waiting for d remaining part of d series

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Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by signz: 7:38am On Apr 15, 2017
BMC and Sahara reporters have been trying to pin this money on GEJ and PDP. Unfortunately for them the money has been traced to be owned by one of their masters in APC.

What more evidence do we need before we know that there's no fight against corruption going on under the administration of "messiah" Buhari. This is the final burial of anti corruption fight under Buhari.

Nigerians don't be deceived by BMC agents on Nairaland. The Ikoyi money is owned by a chieftain of APC.

Meanwhile, Magu is going. He'll be used as scape goat. He has shown he's more incompetent than we even imagined.

44 Likes 3 Shares

Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by Earth2Metahuman: 7:50am On Apr 15, 2017
If the money belongs to amaechi, he should come and explain how he made so much money and why he didn't put it in the bank like pej.
Then subjected to jungle justice afterwards. No time to support any corrupt bastard.



Its funny how the pdp internet boiz and wailing destroyer now believe efcc found money because amaechi is involved (one ediot is even asking how efcc got the key to the drawer), same way they told chibok is a scam then turn around and abuse buhari for not finding the so called scam.
Those people are the biggest hypocritical bastards I have seen in my life.

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Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by smartty68(m): 8:27am On Apr 15, 2017
Dramatic drama

1 Like

Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by Tbillz(m): 8:27am On Apr 15, 2017
Shameful act becoming a comic relief!

Politicians milking Nigeria dry since 60's......even if na cow e go don die!!!

3 Likes

Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by Evergreen4(m): 8:28am On Apr 15, 2017
Na wa for this money self, if they don't know the real owner of money , they should just share the money to all nigerians since every body dey deny.


From NNPC madam > former pdp chairman > his aid > Amechi and his alleged girl friend and now to wike

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Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by Sisqoman(m): 8:28am On Apr 15, 2017
Another Episode!

1 Like

Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by smartty68(m): 8:28am On Apr 15, 2017
Why should raw cash be stashed in a building when there are banks
Chai! This people deserve dead sentence. Even devil the fear our leaders sef. devil will be like "guy I've got my eyes on you"

4 Likes 1 Share

Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by hobermener: 8:28am On Apr 15, 2017
Recall that ameachi's response to the allegations leveled against him was retorting to insults and tantrums like a guilty child. Wike sounds more convincing, and is willing to tow the path of hard and incontrovertible evidence in order to reclaim the looted funds for the good people of rivers state. Ameachi is a criminal known to all, even the commander in chief, but he's also know to be one of the untouchables grin in an anti corruption government headed by the certificateless king of dullards himself.
And the effc can continue in this excessive display of stupidity and ludicrous charade of displaying "recovered funds", endless trials and baseless allegations all over the media, while the infinitely gullible masses watch with reverent awe.
The destructive deeds being currently perpetuated by this demonic government will take millions of years to be undone!!!!

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Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by ceeethru(m): 8:28am On Apr 15, 2017
Why would the agency money be in a locked up apartment? Why not in a bank. These people really think we are homo habilis Abi.

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Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by Nobody: 8:29am On Apr 15, 2017
As everyone rejected the "lost but found" $43m ikoyi house money, I have decide to claimed it. The money is mind, I misplaced it in that apartment!!!

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Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by chiefolododo(m): 8:29am On Apr 15, 2017
In fact I go join the fight , na me own am . na my hard earned currency

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Re: Wike, NIA Fight Over Ownership Of N13bn Seized By EFCC by Justuceleague2: 8:29am On Apr 15, 2017
Why?

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