EFCC probe: Anxiety grips ex-governors

Former governors are now living in fear as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission begins the probe of their financial activities while in government. Already some of them have been arrested and remanded in prison. PAUL DADA reports

Since the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari as the country’s helmsman, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has woken from its slumber in carrying out its constitutional role of fighting graft. Already, fear has gripped former governors who know they have cases to answer especially those who have petitions against them still pending before the EFCC.

While some of them have rushed to the courts to obtain an order restraining EFCC from arresting or prosecuting them for corruption, others have been trying to reach out to the new All Progressives Congress, APC, led government to intervene and stop the anti-graft body from arresting them. Some of them who are being considered for appointment in the present government are more concerned as they don’t want anything that will dent their image and affect their nomination.

Perhaps, the EFCC became rejuvenated by the change mantra being propagated by the governing All Progressives Congress, APC, and the anti-corruption posture of the new President Buhari.

Whatever is responsible for what seems to be a renewed vigour in the fight against corruption by the EFCC, it is a fact that the anti-graft agency has started touching people perceived to be above the law in the previous administration.

In this group are the “almighty” ex-governors who once held sway in different states in the country. Presently the following ex-governors have been arrested over allegations bothering on corruption. Murtala Nyako, the former governor of Adamawa State; Sule Lamido, the former governor of Jigawa; Timipre Sylva, the ex-governor of Bayelsa; Chimaroke Nnamani, former governor of Enugu State and Ikedi Ohakim, the former governor of Imo State. A few of these governors are now facing corruption charges in different court rooms in the land. It is left for them to prove why they should not be convicted over allegations of money laundering brought against them by the EFCC.

Chimaroke Nnamani

Life was good for Nnamani when he graduated from the College of Medicine of the University of Nigeria in 1983. Life became much better for an older Nnamani when he became the governor of Enugu state in 1999. The medical doctor turned-politician was a two term governor whose second tenure ended on May 2007. He was elected as the Senator representing Enugu East Senatorial District from 2007 to 2011 on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party.

But it was also in 2007 that his legal travails began.  Nnamani alongside Sunday Anyaogu, his then aide and six firms linked to them: Rainbownet Nigeria Limited, Hillgate Nigeria Limited, Cosmos FM, Capital City Automobile Nigeria Limited, Renaissance University Teaching Hospital and Mea Mater Elizabeth High School were first arraigned before Justice Tijani Abubakar of a Federal High Court in Lagos. They stand accused of laundering state funds.

The trial was however stalled many times as Nnamani frequently filed applications to travel abroad for medical treatment on grounds of ill-health. Another reason for this was the frequent change of the trial judges handling the matter.

The case was re-assigned to Justice Charles Archibong following the transfer of Justice Abubakar, now of the Appeal Court, out of the Lagos division of the Federal High Court.

But the matter was again re-assigned. Again, the case was re-assigned to Justice Muhammad Yinusa, after Justice Archibong (now retired) was also transferred out of the Lagos Division of the court.

Recently, the judge ordered the forfeiture of the assets of four of the companies linked to Nnamani. The order followed a request by EFCC counsel, Kelvin Uzozie.

The companies had on May 19, 2015 pleaded guilty to a 10-count amended charge filed

against them by the EFCC. The companies were alleged to have failed to comply with lawful inquiry made by the commission.

This was why Uzozie prayed the court to make an order of final forfeiture of the companies based on their plea. Justice Yinusa after reviewing the facts convicted the companies and went ahead to make an order of final forfeiture of their assets to the federal government, citing provision of the EFCC Establishment Act on Final Forfeiture.

The properties forfeited are located across the five states in the South East geopolitical zone.

They include 22 Duplex buildings in Ebeano Estate now known as Fidelity Estate; Renaissance University Teaching Hospital; Cosmos 105.5 FM Digital Station (Ceuna Communications); and Capital City Automobile Limited, located at 12 Station Road, GRA, Enugu.

They also include several undeveloped properties/plots of land of Rainbownet Nigeria

Limited in Enugu, Abakaliki, Aba, Owerri, Onitsha, Awka and Umuahia, among others. Aside the landed properties, more than N35 million from the frozen bank accounts of the companies are also to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Timipre Sylva

Timipre Sylva is a former governor of Balyesa State. Despite the fact that he is now a stalwart of the APC, he is at the moment not shielded from prosecution by the EFCC. Sylva who was touted to work with President Buhari was ostensibly dropped because of the allegation of financial corruption made against him.

The former Bayelsa helmsman, who was governor between 2007 and 2011, is being accused of involvement in a N19.2 billion fraud. He allegedly stole N19.2billion from the state treasury while he was the governor at that period.

He was docked by the EFCC alongside others in July 2014, for allegedly using three companies to siphon funds from the state treasury between 2009 and 2012. The companies indicted are Marlin Maritime Limited, Eat Catering Services Limited, and Haloween-Blue Construction and Logistics Limited.

Sule Lamido

Lamido is the former governor of Jigawa State and a strong politician. But his political strength meant nothing when Justice Evelyn Anyadike of a Federal High Court in Kano refused him bail and remanded him in prison alongside his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha and a certain Wada Abubakar.

They are alleged to have been involved in N1.35 billion fraud. Lamido and sons were accused of taking a kickback from a government contractor. The money was said to have been paid into accounts controlled by the governor and his sons. The EFCC accused the four suspects of money laundering, amongst other charges.

A mild drama ensued when the former governor who was slammed with 28-count charge was denied his bail application. A visibly traumatised and terrified Lamido exclaimed, “You mean I’m now a prisoner!”

But the deputy chief registrar of the court, Solomon Akpedah responded swiftly; “No sir, you are not a prisoner.”

Murtala Nyako

This former governor of Adamawa State, who was last year impeached by the state House of Assembly over alleged corrupt practices, is now being prosecuted at the Federal High Court, Abuja, alongside his son.

They stand accused of diverting over N40billion from the Adamawa state treasury between January 2011 and December 2014. They were arraigned on a 37-count criminal charge bothering on money laundering, abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds.

They are being tried alongside their alleged accomplices- Zulkifikk Abba and Abubakar Aliyu.

Five companies are alleged to have served as conduit pipes for the illegal diversion of the funds-Blue Opal Limited, Sebore Farms & Extension Limited, Pagoda Fortunes Limited, Tower Assets Management Limited and Crust Energy Limited. They were the 5th to 9th accused persons.

Ikedi Ohakim

Ohakim who was the governor of Imo State from May 2007 till May 2011, is alleged to have made a cash payment to the tune of $2, 290,000.00 (about N270,000,000.00) for the purchase of a property at Plot Number 1098 Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, otherwise known as Number 60, Kwame Nkurumah Street, Asokoro in Abuja.

The amount is above the threshold approved for an individual, and this is said to contravene the provisions of section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004.

He is also accused of deliberately neglecting to disclose all his assets in the declaration submitted to the EFCC.

One of the three count charges against him goes thus, “That you, Ikedi Ohakim, on or about the January 26, 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, while under arrest for an offence under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act, 2004 knowingly failed to make a full disclosure of your assets by not declaring your ownership of the property known and described as Plot No. 1098 Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District- it is also known as No.60, Kwame Nkurumah Street, Asokoro, Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(3)(c) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act, 2004 and punishable under the same section.”

The former governor pleaded not guilty to all the three charges against him.