The suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, received over N1 billion bribes through Pastor Emmanuel Omale and a BDC operator, Ahmed Ibrahim Shanono, a preliminary report of the presidential panel investigating Magu has disclosed.
The Justice Ayo Salami-led panel, which is investigating Magu for corruption and insubordination, also listed the individuals and companies that allegedly paid the bribes, in the report seen by THE WHISTLER.
Justice Ayo Salami, Chairman of the presidential panel investigating Ibrahim Magu for corruption and insubordination.
The bribes, according to the panel, were paid by persons being investigated for corruption by the anti-graft agency.
The preliminary report accused Magu of using, “Pastor Emmanuel Omale (who openly referred to the suspended Ag. Chairman as a member of his church and his spiritual son during proceedings before the Commission) and, a Bureau D’ Change (BDC) operator named Ahmed Ibrahim Shanono as conduits for bribery collection.”
“A careful assessment of some of Shanono’s over 150 bank accounts and that of Omale and his Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry Church revealed that various sums of money in both local and foreign currencies (dollar) were deposited by persons this Commission uncovered as being investigated by the EFCC,” the report said.
Pastor Emmanuel Omale of the Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry Church
The Salami panel also revealed the identities of eight suspects that allegedly paid the bribes to Magu through Pastor Omale and Shanono.
Shanono allegedly received N570, 698,500 from China Zhonghao Nigeria Limited through the UBA bank account (1018895662) of his company, Ahmed Ibrahim Shanono Investment Ltd.
“The transfers were in about 43 tranches between 5th December 2014 and 23rd June 2015. The China Zhonghao Coy is being investigated by the EFCC for abandoning a road contract awarded to the company by the Zamfara State Government between 2012 and 2019,” the panel noted.
An aide to a former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Nathaniel Uyo, was alleged to have paid the sum of N10 million into an Ecobank Account (3912014141) of the Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry on 09-06-2018.
The report said the former NDDC MD, “was then being investigated by the EFCC over an alleged attempt to bribe members of the Akwa Ibom State APC Appeal Committee in Abuja.”
Pastor Omale, according to the Salami panel, also received N10 million from a Bureau de Change operator, 7×7 BDC Limited, through his Church’s Ecobank account.
The report said the BDC was being investigated by the EFCC for, “receiving over one billion six hundred million-naira (N1,600,000,000.00), part of the twenty-seven billion naira (N27,000,000,000.00) Insurance Premiums looted during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.”
A former Chairman of the Niger State Pilgrims’ Agency, Liman Kantigi, who was being investigated by the EFCC for allegedly misappropriating funds during his tenure at the agency, also allegedly paid N200 million bribe to Magu through Shanono.
Ibrahim-Magu-Addressing-the-Press (1)
Ibrahim Magu, suspended EFCC Chairman
Kantigi, through his company, Sadiq Air Travels, allegedly transferred N200 million into the Access Bank Account of Shanono’s company, the panel report said.
Weeks before paying the alleged bribe, the EFCC was said to have traced N4 billion to two Guaranty Trust Bank accounts linked to Kantigi.
A government contractor, A.G Ferrero & CO, had also allegedly paid over N213 million to another company belonging to Shanono, Newtech Aluminium and Roofing Services Ltd.
“A.G Ferrero & Co was a contractor to Jigawa State Government during the tenure of Sule Lamido between 2007 and 2013. Lamido was investigated by the EFCC during the period.” the report said.
The Salami panel said Pastor Omale, through his church, also received N1.3 million from a company being investigated for alleged link to EFCC’sN1.5 billion money laundering case against a former Plateau State Governor, Joshua Dariye.
According to the panel, “Apartment Le Paradisi transferred one million three hundred and twenty thousand naira (N1,320,000.00) into Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry Eco Bank Account (3912014143), on 22/04/2014. The company had testified before the EFCC, in respect of a case involving the former Plateau State Governor, Joshua Dariye who was then being investigated for laundering about one billion five hundred million naira (N1,500,000,000.00).”
Jonah-Jang-EFCC
Former Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang (right)
Former Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, was alleged to have paid N30,744,000 to Ahmed Ibrahim Shanono Investment Ltd over his investigation for alleged looting of N6.3 billion while serving as governor of the state.
“Senator Jonah David Jang transferred the sum of thirty million seven hundred and forty-four thousand naira (N30,744,000.00) into the UBA Account (1018895662) of Ahmed Ibrahim Shanono Investment Ltd, on 18th July 2016. Senator Jang, a former Governor of Plateau State is being investigated by EFCC for alleged looting of six billion three hundred million naira (N6.3bn) belonging to Plateau State Government,” said the report.
By Tayo Olu(WhatsApp)