Corruption: EFCC Quizzes Retired Top Director over Alleged Bribery, Abuse of Office
- Following an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, a retired executive director is under probe
- According to reports, the International Oil Company (IOC)'s director operating in Lagos was being quizzed by the anti-graft agency for alleged bribery and abuse of office
- Given the details by the EFCC probe, the top executive was directed by the IOC to proceed on retirement effective from July
A retired executive director of an International Oil Company (IOC), operating in Nigeria is under probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in connection with alleged abuse of office and bribery.
Vanguard reports that the slush funds were said to have been used to buy choice property including a property belonging to a subsidiary firm.
The affected sum, which was kept under wraps, was being trailed by EFCC crack detectives since April when it launched its investigation.
Source: Facebook
It was learnt that when the IOC was embarrassed by the allegations, it directed the executive director, who was also on the board of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, as a director to proceed on retirement effective from July 31st 2021, The Nation also reported.
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It was further revealed that the EFCC was forging ahead with its investigation to rid the oil sector of bribery and corruption.
In a letter to the IOC, the EFCC said the Executive Director has a case to answer in connection with the alleged conspiracy, bribery and abuse of office.
The EFCC letter reads:
“This commission is investigating an alleged case of conspiracy, bribery and abuse of office in which the need to seek information from your office has become imperative.
“Information at our disposal reveals that the above mentioned is an employee and a representative of your organization on the board of Nigeria LNG Limited.
“In the light of the foregoing you are kindly requested to furnish the commission with Certified True Copies of the following information to enable us progress on the investigation: (a) Date of employment and details of Emolument package from inception of service till date; (b) Date of his appointment on the board of Nigeria LNG Limited and (c) Any other information that could assist the investigation
“This request is made pursuant to Section 38(1) and (2) of the Economic and Financial crimes Commission (Establishment Act) 2004.”
Further findings confirmed that there had been attempts to cover up the case but the new executive chairman of EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa has ordered his investigators to get to the roots of the allegations.
A source said:
“The EFCC will not drop the case but the issues at hand are in the interest of the development of our oil sector.
“We are on the trail of how the proceeds of the bribery and abuse of office were diverted to buy choice assets even from their employer.
“We are resolute to address the rot in the oil sector, especially by some staff of International Oil Companies, IOCs.
“There are concerns that some Nigerian staff of IOCs had been serving as agents to some of their bosses to launder funds.”
Disclose owner of ‘missing money’, Governor Bello challenges EFCC
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that the Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, on Sunday, October 17, challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to disclose the owner of the missing N20 billion previously linked to him and the state government by the commission.
The governor had been accused of the EFCC of covering over N20 billion belonging to the Kogi state government in a secret account.
Following its allegation, the EFCC froze the accounts of the Kogi state government under the present administration of Governor Yahaya Bello, on the order of a Lagos state High Court in August 2021.
EFCC withdraws N19.3bn bailout fund case against state govt, gives reasons
In another report, a Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday, October 15, granted a motion by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), seeking to withdraw a suit against the Kogi state government.
It was reported that the anti-graft agency had filed the suit, seeking an interim order to freeze the sum of the N19.3 billion bailout fund in the account of the Kogi state government.
Legit.ng gathered that the EFCC had alleged that the money meant for the payment of salaries of the state workers was domiciled in an interest-yielding account with a new generation bank.
Source: Legit.ng
