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EFCC Moves Against Akwa Ibom Govt, Indicts Top Nigerian Lawyers - Politics - Nairaland

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EFCC Moves Against Akwa Ibom Govt, Indicts Top Nigerian Lawyers by 4Ebiscoo: 10:34am On Aug 12, 2018
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered about N1.4billion allegedly belonging to the Akwa Ibom State Government.

The cash was remitted in two tranches of N1.1billion and N300million, in 11 accounts belonging to eight top lawyers in the country.

One of the suspected lawyers has made a statement to the EFCC on how he came about the huge transfers.

The suspect told detectives that the deposits were legal fees for 16 cases but could not produce documentary evidence of any agreement between his team and the state government.

Meanwhile, the anti-graft agency has invited four officials of the state government for questioning on the issue.

They are: Commissioner for Finance, Nsikan Linus, the Permanent Secretary and Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Justice , and an Assistant Chief Accountant in the Accountant-General Office in the state, Mfon Jacobson Udomah.

The fact-sheet of the case showed that N1.4billion was remitted into the various accounts as follows: N135m; N120m; N100m; N60m; N60m; N65m; N570m; N75m; N75m; N75m; N30m; and N45m.

One of the investigators told Nation: “There was no document tied to specific payment. The deposit also did not specify what the cash was meant for.

“There was no evidence of any agreement between the state government and the beneficiaries of the N1.4billion.

“The lead coordinator of the lawyers who benefitted from the cash could not say how much was charged and how much was agreed upon.

“The lead lawyer only said the cash was for 16 cases in various courts across the country but only a case was reflected as having gone from the lower court to the Supreme Court.

“The lead lawyer has made statement without any shred of evidence or document to justify the legal contract.”

“Letters of invitation were written to the Permanent Secretary and Director of Finance and Accounts of the Ministry of Justice of Akwa Ibom State on June 8, 2018 and the Commissioner for Finance and an Assistant Chief Accountant in the Accountant-General Office in the state on July 13, 2018.

“They were to be questioned in Abuja. They all failed to report despite sending reminders to them on July 3 and July 13. We later sent a team to interact with them at the EFCC’s Uyo Zonal office but they refused to meet with our operatives.

“The EFCC’s team from Abuja travelled to Uyo on July 19 and on July 20, our operatives requested to invite the affected state officials. None of them came around.

“The Secretary to the State Government and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice wrote an undertaking in Uyo Zonal Office and Abuja respectively assuring the EFCC that the invited persons would report as requested but they failed to turn up.

“The Attorney-General came to Abuja on July 24, 2018 that he would bring those invited on July 30 but he never did. We are still insisting they must come.”

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Re: EFCC Moves Against Akwa Ibom Govt, Indicts Top Nigerian Lawyers by weyreypey: 10:38am On Aug 12, 2018
Why is EFCC this useless
Re: EFCC Moves Against Akwa Ibom Govt, Indicts Top Nigerian Lawyers by Oche211(m): 10:40am On Aug 12, 2018
Corruption everywhere
Re: EFCC Moves Against Akwa Ibom Govt, Indicts Top Nigerian Lawyers by Oche211(m): 10:41am On Aug 12, 2018
weyreypey:
Why is EFCC this useless
what makes the EFCC useless in this case

2 Likes 2 Shares

Re: EFCC Moves Against Akwa Ibom Govt, Indicts Top Nigerian Lawyers by weyreypey: 10:43am On Aug 12, 2018
Oche211:

what makes the EFCC useless in this case
If you cannot see it...

Abeg Abeg Abeg...mbok dakala

[img]https://media1./images/1073c153230539f1b55ba0a4aa298aa6/tenor.gif[/img]
Re: EFCC Moves Against Akwa Ibom Govt, Indicts Top Nigerian Lawyers by Oche211(m): 10:48am On Aug 12, 2018
weyreypey:

If you cannot see it...

Abeg Abeg Abeg...mbok dakala

[img]https://media1./images/1073c153230539f1b55ba0a4aa298aa6/tenor.gif[/img]
i can see that sentiment has block your sense of sound moral judgement.
I'm not surprise, companies of thieves or future thieves protect each other's interest.

1 Like

Re: EFCC Moves Against Akwa Ibom Govt, Indicts Top Nigerian Lawyers by Nobody: 10:49am On Aug 12, 2018
weyreypey:
Why am I this useless
shocked
Re: EFCC Moves Against Akwa Ibom Govt, Indicts Top Nigerian Lawyers by Nobody: 10:50am On Aug 12, 2018
Oche211:

i can see that sentiment has block your sense of sound moral judgement.
I'm not surprise, companies of thieves or future thieves protect each other's interest.
Gbam!
Re: EFCC Moves Against Akwa Ibom Govt, Indicts Top Nigerian Lawyers by alterswerve(m): 10:52am On Aug 12, 2018
For those who say that the EFCC had no right to freeze accounts? Yes, you're right.

Only the courts have the right to freeze accounts. The EFCC has the right to freeze an account temporarily through the court when undergoing investigation.

I didn't read this, I heard it from an analyst on radio.

I suspect that this was the investigation going on.
Re: EFCC Moves Against Akwa Ibom Govt, Indicts Top Nigerian Lawyers by alterswerve(m): 10:54am On Aug 12, 2018
weyreypey:

If you cannot see it...

Abeg Abeg Abeg...mbok dakala dakaga

[img]https://media1./images/1073c153230539f1b55ba0a4aa298aa6/tenor.gif[/img]
Re: EFCC Moves Against Akwa Ibom Govt, Indicts Top Nigerian Lawyers by weyreypey: 10:59am On Aug 12, 2018
Oche211:

i can see that sentiment has block your sense of sound moral judgement.
I'm not surprise, companies of thieves or future thieves protect each other's interest.

weyreypey:
The EFCC had begun investigation into alleged theft of N108.1billion of Akwa Ibom funds by the former governor in June.

The action followed a petition forwarded to the commission by an Abuja-based lawyer and activist, Leo Ekpenyong.

Ekpenyong had on June 8 petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari and the EFCC, calling for Akpabio’s probe and accusing him of looting Akwa Ibom state treasury.

Several other indigenes of the state demanding the investigation of the former governor were also said to have been invited by the EFCC for questioning.

In a new petition to the EFCC dated June 22, and copied to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, Mr. Ekpenyong gave details of some of Mr. Akpabio’s alleged financial recklessness.

He alleged that between January and December 2014, the ex-governor colluded with two of his top aides to steal a whopping N108.1 billion from the state’s treasury.

Mr. Ekpenyong told the EFCC that the former Government House Permanent Secretary, Etekamba Umoren, and the former Accountant General of the state, Udo Isobara, colluded with Mr. Akpabio to steal the funds.

“Between January –December 2014, it is on record that the trio of Godswill Akpabio, Mr. Etekamba Umoren and Mr. Udo Isobara, made illegal but substantial withdrawals of cash from a designated state government-owned account with Zenith Bank with account number: 1010375881 amounting to N22.1 billion,” he stated in the petition.

“It is worthy of note that reasons for such ungodly cash withdrawals against financial regulations and due process laws range between sundry use and unjustifiable expenditures by Godswill Akpabio and his numerous surrogates and proxies.

“For example, a whopping N18 billion was withdrawn fraudulently from the state FAAC account with the United Bank for Africa in trenches of N10 million and above by Mr. Isobara in a surreptitious manner to conceal their dishonest intention.”

Ekpenyong said Umoren was rewarded with an appointment as Government House chief of staff and now secretary to the state government under Udom Emmanuel’s administration.

The legal practitioner further alleged that over N50 billion of Akwa Ibom funds were spent by the former governor during the last general elections.

He further acussed Akpabio of withdrawing N18 billion from the state coffers under the guise of special services, reception of very important guests and sundry items.

“The cumulative aggregate of these monies stolen by Godswill Akpabio from the coffers of government as pocket money is the annual budget of some states in Nigeria put together,” the petition reads.

He listed the bouquet of assets acquired by the former governor through surrogates to include a multi-billion naira mansion at Plot 5 Okogosi Spring Close, off Katsina-Ala Crescent, Maitama-Abuja, a multi-billion naira mansionette at Plot 28 Colorado Close, Maitama, Abuja and another multi-billion naira mansion at 22 Probyn Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Others include a multi-billion naira mansionette at Plot 23 Olusegun Aina Street, Parkview, Lagos and a multi-billion naira 25 storey building at Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.


http://dailypost.ng/2015/10/16/breaking-efcc-arrests-ex-akwa-ibom-governor-senator-akpabio/amp/
Re: EFCC Moves Against Akwa Ibom Govt, Indicts Top Nigerian Lawyers by Oche211(m): 11:11am On Aug 12, 2018
weyreypey:


we all know that Akpabio plundered and stole the resources with reckless impunity.
His defection is to seek a safe Haven in the dens of thieves.
Bt the fact that he hasn't been prosecuted does not mean that other corruption cases should be over looked.
Stealing is corruption.
Re: EFCC Moves Against Akwa Ibom Govt, Indicts Top Nigerian Lawyers by weyreypey: 11:14am On Aug 12, 2018
Oche211:

we all know that Akpabio plundered and stole the resources with reckless impunity.
His defection is to seek a safe Haven in the dens of thieves.
Bt the fact that he hasn't been prosecuted does not mean that other corruption cases should be over looked.
Stealing is corruption.

Re: EFCC Moves Against Akwa Ibom Govt, Indicts Top Nigerian Lawyers by ITbomb(m): 11:16am On Aug 12, 2018
So state government cannot pay its lawyers in peace again?
Re: EFCC Moves Against Akwa Ibom Govt, Indicts Top Nigerian Lawyers by weyreypey: 11:18am On Aug 12, 2018
ITbomb:
So state government cannot pay its lawyers in peace again?
Maybe there's a constitutional ceiling for payment amount to lawyers by the state government
Re: EFCC Moves Against Akwa Ibom Govt, Indicts Top Nigerian Lawyers by ivandragon: 11:19am On Aug 12, 2018
this is good, but it also raises questions about the whole fighting corruption rhetoric...


former governors of lagos, Edo, ekiti have had complaints against them lodged with the efcc, but no action taken. but the efcc takes swift action against others...

even sitting governors such as aregbe, ajimobi & others have been reported to efcc for over 2 years, but the efcc keeps mum... why?

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