…Says Investigative Panel About Throwing Mud And Staining Predecessor

Immediate past President of the Senate and a former Kwara State governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has dismissed the report of a committee set up by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to investigate sales of Kwara State’s assets, which recommended the prosecution of Saraki and former governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, as well as other former government officials.

Saraki dismissed the panel’s recommendations, saying neither him nor his successor was invited by the panel to give evidence.

This was contained in a statement from his Media Office, which was signed by Press Officer on Local Matters, Mr. Abdulqadir Abdulganiyu said neither him, who left the office 10 years ago nor Ahmed, the immediate past governor got an invite to appear before any investigative and fact-finding panel set up by the Abdulrazaq’s administration.

Thus, it is clear that the so-called investigation being conducted is not about finding facts. It is about throwing mud and staining the predecessor of Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq in office,” he said.

Saraki insisted that him and Ahmed would never be shy of giving account of how they managed the assets of Kwara State.

The statement noted that both men took decisions concerning those assets in a manner that would enhance their value and stimulate economic activities in the state, which was hitherto referred to as a civil service state.

Referring to the issue of Kwara Mall, the statement argued that based on the decision taken by the Saraki administration, the project has become the epicentre of economic activity in Ilorin, the state capital.

“In fact, it’s importance is further underscored by the decision of the government to give the owners of businesses inside the mall a grant totaling about N1 billion to cushion the harsh effect of the ‘End SARS’ protest on their property. It is obvious that the mall today provides direct and indirect employment to hundreds of Kwarans and Dr. Saraki is proud that his administration initiated the idea where Ilorin became the first town outside Lagos to host a Shoprite in its mall.”

On the issue of the Shonga Farms, the statement added that the farms demonstrated the cluelessness of the current governor of Kwara State and his advisers.

“That is why on some occasions, key officials of the administration will hold the Shonga Farms as a glory of Kwara State and on some other occasions, like the case of the press statement under reference, it will seek to paint it in bad light.

“We are surprised that other companies that this government facilitated their investment into Kwara State like Dangote Flour Mills were not being cited as examples of how the previous administrations ‘misapplied’ the resources of the state.”

According to the statement, “this same Shonga Farms is not only a model how we need commercial farming to revolutionise agriculture in Nigeria but it is the second commercialism farm in the country. The farm today has an investment worth over $100 million and has in its service over 1, 000 Kwarans in the state. It is a project that went through the scrutiny of President Olusegun Obasanjo and the CBN.”

An American assets recovery firm, Forensic Assets Investigation and Recovery Services LLC, has traced $69bn (about N28.3tn) to different Texas bank accounts accrued from illegal oil deals by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

The money was believed to have been siphoned from undeclared crude oil sales under the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration allegedly by the NNPC officials and their collaborators in the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Out of the stash, $9bn was traced to a Texas bank account allegedly belonging to a former National Security Adviser, General Andrew Azazi.

Recall that Azazi died in a helicopter crash in Okoroba, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, in December 2012, alongside the Governor of Kaduna State, Patrick Yakowa, Warrant Officer Kamal Mohammed; a prominent politician from Kaduna, Dauda Psokho; the pilot, identified as Commander Muritala Daba; and co-pilot, Lt Col. Adeyemi Sowole.

The assets recovery firm in a confidential memo to the Special Presidential Investigation Panel said it could recover the money if engaged and its expenses and compensation paid.

The former SPIP Chairman, Okon Obono-Obla had yet to conclude the recovery process before President Muhammadu Buhari removed him from the panel and directed the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Dayo Apata, to take over the affairs of the

The American company, FAIR, is a specialist in anti-corruption asset recovery working independently to trace and help repatriate money stashed away in foreign bank accounts and loot converted to real estate, luxury items, yachts and the money markets.

The firm, founded by a lawyer, Gary Riebschlager, comprises investigators, forensic accountants, bankers, and cyber experts who utilise Mutual Legal Agreements and global Financial Intelligence Units, Camden Assets Recovery Inter-Agency Network, Global Focus Point Network in Asset Recovery (Interpol), and the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative of the World Bank.

In a letter to the President on the matter dated March 18, 2019, the SPIP explained that the assets recovery firm had assured that the $9bn belonging to Azazi could be recovered within three to five months, if engaged and the necessary fee paid while its charges and compensation would be paid upon recovery.

However, two years after the SPIP notified the President about the loot, the Federal Government has not taken concrete steps to recover the money.

Our correspondent had reported that over 400 criminal and graft cases retrieved from the SPIP by the office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice had been abandoned.

The SPIP letter with reference number SPIP/SH/2019/VOL.1/1 titled, ‘American assets investigation and recovery company has traced a definite $9bn funds linked to late Gen. Azazi,’ was signed by the then chairman of the panel, Okoi Obono-Obla.

It reads in parts, “In January 2019, an American assets recovery company, Forensic Assets Investigation and Recovery Services LLC sent a confidential memo to us stating the discovery of a definite total amount of $9bn in the State of Texas linked to late General Azazi (former NSA), plus additional huge amount in excess of $60bn from multiple sources of illegal sales of crude oil from Nigeria into the entire United States of America.

“Mr President, the confidential memo to us prompted our agency to seriously engage the US company to determine the veracity of the information, which resulted in an official invitation to them that they may visit us to further discuss and agree on steps needed to recover and return the funds to the Nigerian government.”

“Follow-up information from the Americans indicate that the definite $9bn can be recovered and returned to Nigeria within 3 to 5 months, if engaged and expense fee is provided, while compensation and charges shall be paid upon recovery. They also informed us that the major funds were stolen via the NNPC and the Central Bank of Nigeria,” the letter to the President further stated.

Following the overwhelming evidence provided by the assets recovery company regarding the $9bn and their capacity to recover and return the fund, the SPIP explained that it decided to engage with the American forensic experts on a face-to-face meeting scheduled for March 29, 2019.

The panel also attached a copy of the firm’s acceptance letter to its memo to the President and sought Buhari’s approval for the planned meeting with the American company.

The memo noted, “Mr President, we intend to work together with the Americans in order to secure the recovery of the definite $9bn within 3-5 months they stated and to engage them to see and recover the larger part of the estimated $60bn-$80 stolen from Nigeria during the oil boom. Also, to engage the NNPC and the CBN in the overall recovery of those funds in the United States.

“Our prayers to the President are: To approve the engagement of the American company to recover the funds and assets in the US and to approve the support of the visiting American firm to integrate software technology in the CBN in order to trace fraud funds.

“To approve the presence of interface offices of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel in NNPC and the CBN. Your Excellency, the immediate recovery of the identified $9bn within the stated timeframe of 3-5 months will totally eliminate borrowing to fund the 2018 budget deficit and sustain the 2019 budget.”

Our correspondent sought the comment of the Forensic Assets Investigation and Recovery Services LLC on the hidden funds but the firm failed to respond to inquiries despite claims on its website that it responds to inquiries within 24 hours.

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN on Thursday denied allegation that N2billion was paid to his office from the recovered looted funds.

He, however, challenged any person who has any evidence of such payments to either him or his office should come out publicly with proofs.

The AGF, in a statement by his media aide, Dr. Umar Gwandu, said all looted funds so far recovered have been applied in accordance with the agreements reached with nations from which the funds are retrieved.

Gwandu quoted Malami as stating that prior to the repatriation of all the recovered assets, Nigeria and relevant nations signed memorandum of understanding as to what the monies will be put to and the government has been working in compliance with all the provisions of multi-national agreements reached.

“It was on the basis of the application of the said funds in line with the agreements that Nigeria earns reputation among international committee of nations which translated into further recoveries.”

He said the Federal Government has a designated account at the Central Bank of Nigeria for all recovered assets.

Gwandu said Malami has neither, as a person, nor as the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, not in any way received any funds from the recovered assets