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Kenneth Minimah, a former Chief of Army Staff
Kenneth Minimah, a former Chief of Army Staff

EFCC charges ex-Army chief, others, with N13 billion fraud
The EFCC says the fraud charges were filed against Keneth Minimah based on the report of the Committee on the Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement in the Nigerian Armed Forces from 2007- 2015.
ByAmeh Ejekwonyilo December 8, 2021 3 min read

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged Kenneth Minimah, a former Chief of Army Staff, with fraud involving alleged misappropriation of N13 billion meant for arms purchase.

Mr Minimah was charged alongside an erstwhile Chief of Accounts and Budget of the Nigerian Army, A. O. Adetayo, a major-general, and the former Director, Finance and Accounts of the Nigerian Army, R. I. Odi, a brigadier-general, at the Federal Capital Territory High in Abuja.

It would be recalled that a former Chief of Air Staff, Alex Badeh, a former Chief of Air Staff, who rose to become the Chief of Defence Staff, was charged with money laundering.

He was on trial until he was killed in an ambush in December 2018.

Report of investigation
The EFCC said it had received a report by the Committee on the Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement in the Nigerian Armed Forces from 2007- 2015, chaired by retired Nigerian Air Force officer, Jon Ode.

It said between 2010 and 2015, “several billions of naira were received by the Nigerian Army from the Federal Government for procurement of military hard-wares and were discovered to have been misappropriated by Senior Army Officers.”

How N13 billion was allegedly siphoned
The charges “revealed that the sum of Thirteen Billion, Seven Hundred and Ninety Eight Million, Six Hundred and Nineteen Thousand, Three Hundred and Nine Naira (N13,798,619,309) was misappropriated by the following persons: Lt. Gen. KTJ Minimah (rtd), the former Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. A.O Adetayo, one-time Chief of Accounts and Budget, Nigerian Army and then Colonel R.I Odi, former Director, Finance and Accounts, Nigerian Army”.

“The sums were transferred from various accounts belonging to the Nigerian Army and moved to company accounts of entities that had no business relations with the Nigerian Army.

“This caused huge loss to the Nigerian Army and the Federal Government of Nigeria through the unlawful gains made by the aforementioned Officers who converted the monies for their personal use.

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“The legal advice on the investigation opined that a prima facie case has been sustained against the officers,” the charge disclosed,” the documents added.

The EFCC said the outcome of its investigation led to the filing of the charges against the three officers named in the alleged fraud

As a result of its findings, the EFCC, said it wrote the Nigerian Army, requesting the three officers to make themselves available for arraignment it said would have taken place since September 15, 2020.



Defendants challenge suit’s competence
Meanwhile, Mr Minimah and his co-defendants have approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, to challenge the competence of the charges against the.

Mahmud Magaji, a lawyer to the defendants, argued that the audit committee on alleged misappropriation of procurement of military hardware, “only referred the case to the 2nd defendant (EFCC) for further investigation and not to proceed to file criminal charges against the plaintiffs.”

The Generals are insisting that they are still subject to service law (the Armed Forces Act). The plaintiffs argued that, “if any military officer under the service law of the Nigerian Army commit an offence, it is reported in form of a charge to the commanding officer of the accused person for investigation and trial if necessary.


“That Nigeria Army has its rules and statutory mechanisms for the administration of Criminal Justice.

TEXEM
“That military officer under the service law can only be prosecuted in the Court Martial

Ask this man to travel through Okene axis now he will say no.

A producer/farmer is forming boss in Nigeria, I guess these northern onion farmers neveer heard of the term "consumer supremacy", ie customer always being right.

When th

Shortma with im problems

Are we not in war already?

may God see us through

The way the FG is handling this matter, I hope we won't experience something similar to Bokoharam in the SE

Make una pity Buhari and im govment small na?

Hapu ndi ugwu na ufodu ndi ofe mmanu ka ha na akogheri..

Mbaka again?

Learnt an invaluable lesson from this man

I learnt an invaluable lesson from this man

One chance regime

So ashamed to share country with such persons.

I know that I owe my unborn children the gift of not giving birth to them in this country, I can't endure this stupidity and willingly allow my kids to experience same.

What excuse can I give my kids if I mistakingly give birth to them in this country?

Buhari and co should enjoy their country, biko.

Hope he wont resurect again?

True

Man wey sabi

DubaiLandLord:
If nah South West be that place, Igbo Jews and Christians go sha see something talk.

You will hardly see an Igbo muslim shooking mouth for wetin no concern am.

get a life and stop being petty

Enugu is in hand of God

Man wey sabi

Regime of to do rather than we are doing or we did

temitope27:
Rubbish of the highest order

your hero and messiah Buhari, what good did you think he will be rememberd for, when he leaves office?

Officialgarri:
Useless award. If not for the shame that past African leaders have exposed us to, why should we celebrate someone for relinquishing power after losing an election?

for the fact that GEJ choose not to continue in that path of shame as you mentioned, makes him worthy of the said award.

When are they going to award Buharia that of shock absorber?

Shameless generation

Na me come help her?

IamWonderful:
Throw them inside crocodile infested water

just like your oba akiolu threatened the Igbo's in Lagos, but I hope you've not forgotten how he was humiliated during the end sars protest?

CilicMarin:
Round them off before they go into killing spree..

if you are not careful Biafra matter go break your neck.

Whoever that misstep these day in south east or south south is now an IPOD member.

Naija we hail

bro4u:
Far better than the hydraulic soups in the waste side.

just take a look at how you want to spoil this with tribal bashing now, get a life bro.