EFCC expands net, quizzes Imoke, ex-ministers, others over Diezani’s $115m

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may have cast its net wider in its quest to unravel how the alleged N23.29billion poll funds was disbursed as the agency invited for questioning former  Governor of Cross River  State, Mr. Liyel Imoke among other high profile individuals on Wednesday.

Among those also interrogated by the EFCC include former Minister of Mines and Steel, Arch. Musa Muhammad Sada, a former Minister of State for Agriculture, Asabe Asmau Ahmed; a former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Imasuen;  and a former Secretary to the State Government of Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu.

The anti-graft agency also hinted that one of the former Ministers, Asabe Asmau Ahmed admitted that she managed to return the sum of N105million out of the N450million traced to her.

Among those being trailed by the EFCC is former member of the House of Representatives, Tony Azeigbemi.

A cursory view of the report by EFCC showed that the suspects are being wanted in connection with sums traced to their accounts namely: Imoke (N500m); Sada (N700m); Ahmed (N450m); Imasuen (N700m); Ize-Iyamu (N700m); and Azeigbem (N700m).

The sums are allegedly part of slush $115million traced to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison- Madueke lodged with Fidelity Bank in controversial circumstances during the 2015 electioneering campaign period.

Ripples was reliably informed that Imoke was quizzed at the zonal office of EFCC in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State over his alleged involvement in the N500million collected by the Cross Rivers State’s Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Ntufam John Okon.

“Imoke arrived at the Port- Harcourt’s office of the EFCC, by 10:15am on Wednesday.

“Also, a former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Imasuen and a former Secretary to the State Government of Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu, have also been interrogated   by operatives of the EFCC, for collecting a sum of N700Million (Seven Hundred Million Naira only) from the same $115million Diezani’s funds.

“The N700million was reportedly collected from the Mission Road branch of Fidelity Bank Plc, in Benin- City in March, 2015.

Read also: PDP chief, Ize-Iyamu detained by EFCC 24hrs after lashing Oshiomhole (Updated)

“Iyamu, a PDP’s Presidential Campaign Coordinator in the 2015 Presidential Election, admitted collecting the money from the bank.

“He told EFCC’s interrogators that he went to the bank on that fateful day with Imasuen and a former House of Representatives Member representing Edo Central, Tony Azeigbemi ( who is yet to be arrested by the EFCC)  and the money was handed over to them by an official of the bank. Both Imasuen and Iyamu signed for the collection of the money.”

In a related development, the EFCC has also interrogated two former ex-Ministers, Musa Muhammad Sada (Mines and Steel) and Hajiya Asabe Asmau Ahmed (Minister of State for Agriculture).

In a statement by the EFCC, it said:  “A former Minister of Mines and Steel, Arch. Musa Muhammad Sada, has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, his involvement in the alleged N23.29bn poll bribery scandal.

“Sada is one of the former ministers in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan who are being investigated by the anti-graft agency.

“During investigation, Sada disclosed that he was authorized by former governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema, to collect the sum of N700m on behalf of Katsina State and remit it to the former state’s Commissioner of Finance for keep for him (Shema).

“In a related development, a former Minister of State for Agriculture, Asabe Asmau Ahmed, from Niger State, revealed how she personally signed and collected the sum of N450m.

Ahmed also stated that she kept the sum of N105million for herself.

“She further alleged that the balance was given to top Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, party officials in Niger State.”

The EFCC has been probing the embattled former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke on her alleged involvement in a $115m (N23, 299,705,000billion) 2015 poll bribery scandal.

About four oil firms, 14 directors of oil companies, two banks and more than 22 INEC officers, including RECs, are under investigation too.

 

 

 

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