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Ex-NHIS boss dares EFCC over seized $2.1m cash

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A former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Dr. Olufemi Thomas, who has been named in relation to $2.1 million cash seized at the Lagos Airport said he was ready to be at the EFCC whenever he is invited.

He denied that he was on the run, adding that he is yet to receive any formal invitation from the EFCC.

His media aide, Mr. Sola Adeyemi, in a statement in Lagos, said: “Dr. Femi Thomas is a law-abiding public individual that has traceable addresses in Lagos and Ekiti. He is a man that I work with and I know him for his words and actions. As I speak, we are yet to receive any formal invitation from any quarter on the allegation.

“For the avoidance of doubt, my boss is not on the run, he is in Nigeria, he is available and ready to present himself to the EFCC as soon as he is invited.”

But an EFCC source yesterday said investigators were awaiting Thomas, who reportedly could not be located in the last three weeks.

It was gathered that the EFCC was considering calling on the International Police (INTERPOL) to arrest him, after watch-listing the former Executive Secretary of NHIS.

Even as the EFCC seeks to quiz Thomas, there is a fresh revelation that the NHIS bought a plot of land for N990 million.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on July 3, 2015 arrested a bureau de change operator, Ibiteye John Bamidele, at MMA Terminal 2 (MMA2) Lagos with the $2.1 million.

The Head of Public Affairs, NDLEA, Mitchel Ofoyeju, said Bamidele was arrested by anti-narcotic officials, who suspected that the cash was for money laundering.

The NDLEA handed over the suspect to the EFCC on July 8, 2015, following his “confession” that he was on a money laundering errand for the ex-NHIS boss.

Besides the $2.1 million, the EFCC is said to be probing how NHIS bought a plot of land for more space at its headquarters in Abuja for N990 million.

A source said: “When a former Executive Secretary, Mr. Waziri Dogo-Muhammed, was in charge before Thomas came on board, he refused to buy the same plot at N350million.

“In order to evade scrutiny by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), NHIS bought the land at N990 million. Any expenditure from N1 billion upward goes to FEC for consideration.

Read also: EFCC moves in on Aregbesola, Ibru

“This is still a major accountability challenge facing NHIS. The anti-graft commission has received complaint on this too.”

Dr. Thomas, speaking through his aide on July 26, said the land near the NIHS’ Abuja Head Office was acquired to solve the acute accommodation challenges facing the scheme, the need to have enough space for future expansion and the appreciating value of land in the highbrow Cadastral Zone.

Besides, he described “as total falsehood that due diligence was not followed in the acquisition of the landed property”, pointing out that NHIS’ supervising Health Ministry approved it.

Adeyemi said it was news to the former NHIS chief that the management before his turned down offers.

The allegation, Adeyemi said, was a calculated attempt to discredit his boss and tarnish his image.

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