EFCC demands list of Senators, Reps who shared cash
Detectives to quiz Obanikoro’s ADC
Detained Senator Iyiola Omisore is under pressure to name
the beneficiaries of the N60 billion “budget padding” in the
He has refused to name the Senators and House members,
an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
source said yesterday.
The former Osun State deputy governor, who is on “bed
rest” at the EFCC clinic in Abuja, is said to be in a stable
condition.
“He is in a stable condition, chatting and comparing notes
freely with our investigating officers from the clinic,” the
source added.
Another source said: “Instead of giving the details of
budget padding in the 6th National Assembly between 2007
and 2011, Omisore told our operatives that ‘I will help you
with the list of those behind 2016 budget padding.’ We said
we are only working on the document on budget padding
which we retrieved from his residence in Abuja.
“This, however, does not prevent us from going ahead with
the ongoing probe of the padding as seen from the
evidence in the document. We will crack this dimension to
his case.”
Omisore was the chairman of the Appropriation
Committee. The EFCC found in his Abuja home a
document showing a N60 billion “strange” vote in the
budget. Besides, he was reportedly paid N2.5 billion by the
National Assembly’s management for undisclosed reasons.
Omisore was arrested in Abuja on July 3, for the N4.745
billion allegedly allocated to him and others by the Office
of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
Of the slush funds, about N1.310 billion was allegedly
traced to Omisore and three companies.
Also yesterday, it was learnt that detectives will tomorrow
question former Defence Minister (state) Mr. Musiliu
Obanikoro’s Aide-de-Camp (ADC) over the N1.299billion
flown to the Akure Airport for Ekiti State Governor Ayodele
Fayose.
The EFCC has invited Lt. A.O Adewale of the Nigerian Navy
for interrogation at its headquarters. He reportedly
accompanied Obanikoro to deliver the cash, which was
meant for the prosecution of the 2014 governorship
election. The cash is believed to be from the Office of the
National Security Adviser (ONSA), meant for the purchase
of arms to fight Boko Haram.
Fayose’s associate, Abiodun Agbele, who allegedly
collected the slush funds from the ex-minister, was said to
have “cringed” when presented with some evidence.
The officer was on board a chartered aircraft with
Registration No: HS125-800 5N-BMT belonging to Gyro Air
Limited, which ferried the N1.299billion to Akure on June
17 and 18, 2014.
The EFCC invited Lt. Adewale last week but he asked to
report tomorrow after getting clearance from the Navy.
A source said: “We are expecting him on Wednesday. Our
team of investigators is on standby to interact with the
naval officer who was the ADC to Obanikoro.
“We took time to invite him because investigation has not
reached his own curve. Now, as a star witness to the
movement and the modus operandi of the ex-minister, we
need to hear from him.
“We are interested in his role in the movement of the cash
to Fayose’s associate.”
Agbele, who is detained, was said to be worried after being
shown some damning bank tellers, which he personally
signed.
He was just “cringing”, the source added.
An EFCC Investigating Officer, Tosin Owobo, has told the
Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti of how the N1,
299,490,000.00 was wired into Fayose’s accounts by
Agbele.
Owobo, who swore to an affidavit, said: “That N1,
219,490,000 was conveyed to Akure Airport by Senator
Obanikoro through a chartered aircraft with Registration
No: HS125-800 5N-BMT belonging to Gyro Air Limited.”
“That on the 17th day of June, 2014 Mr. Alade Oluseye in
the company of one Abiodun Agbele, a front of the
Applicant(Fayose), went to the Akure Airport wherein they
took cash delivery of the N724,500,000.00 from Senator
Musiliu Obanikoro and his acclaimed Aide-de-Camp
Lieutenant Colonel A.O. Adewale.
“That on the 18th day of June, 2014 N494, 990,000 was
also delivered to Mr. Alade Oluseye by the said minister in
the same manner.
“That N1, 219,490,000 was conveyed to Akure Airport by
Senator Obanikoro through a chartered aircraft with
Registration No: HS125-800 5N-BMT belonging to Gyro Air
Limited.”
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