Earlier in the week, the EFCC discovered the sum of $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218,000 in an Ikoyi apartment initially revealed to be owned by former PDP Chairman, Adamu Muazu. Since then the story that has been revealed is a multilayered tale that keeps unfolding daily.
Adamu Muazu has denied any current connection to the flat which housed the money. He stated that it was a property he had developed but since let go of the properties in sales that were carried out by established estate agents.
The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) have since come forward to claim ownership of the funds which were approved by Goodluck Jonathan during his time as President for covert security projects. We now know that when the apartment was stormed, the NIA Director-General, Ayo Oke reached out to acting EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu to inform the anti-corruption agency’s top man of the fact that the said property was a safe house of the NIA. Magu however maintained the order to go into the building and seize all they found.
The NIA DG has since met with President Buhari who asked for a formal complaint to be filed while Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has also stepped forward to claim the money as the property of Rivers State and suggested that the money in question was inserted in the apartment on the orders of former governor, Rotimi Amaechi. He also issued the FG an ultimatum stating that they have a week to return all funds or shall face legal action. He said,
“All these things they are saying that the $43m belong to the Nigerian Intelligence Agency is balderdash. When did the NIA begin to keep money in houses? As I speak to you now, the Federal Government is so embarrassed.
“I want the President to set up a commission of inquiry. We don’t want to fight anybody; they should set up a commission of inquiry or return our money within seven days. If they don’t, we will take all necessary legal actions and NIA will come and prove where they got the money from.
“The $43m is the proceeds of the sale of the gas turbine sold by the immediate past administration. The gas turbine was built by the (Peter) Odili administration. It (gas turbine) was sold to Sahara Energy.
“The turbine was sold for $319m. But as of May 2015, what was in the account was $204,000. We will avail ourselves and we will be present at the commission of inquiry expected to be set up by the Federal Government. If we are invited, we will come. There is no contradiction in this at all, but I know they (FG) will not agree.”
Source: PUNCH & Premium Times