Akwa Ibom State Government has deflected the story making rounds that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is probing some state officials for alleged withdrawal of N6.5 billion in cash from an imprest account.
The Nation newspapers and The Publisher Nigeria News on November 11, 2018 published that the cash was said to have been diverted from a derivation account to the imprest account of the Ministry of Justice/Office of the Accountant-General in the state.
However, Charles Udoh, the state Commissioner of Information and Strategy in a press release dated November 11, 2018 instead of addressing the issue rather attacked the newspaper, EFCC and the opposition party in the state.
Hear him“It is ludicrous that the EFCC has allowed itself to degenerate into a tool of lopsided political mudsling and witch-hunting used by the opposition in the state to cast aspersions on the integrity of the Akwa Ibom State Government.”
Earlier, The Nation had published that EFCC discovered how about N1.4 billion belonging to Akwa Ibom State Government was wired into 11 suspected slush accounts.
The cash was remitted into the suspected accounts in two tranches of N1.1 billion and N300 million.
Speaking with journalists in Uyo on Monday, August 13, this year, Udoh dismissed the claims that EFCC had traced N1.4 billion belonging to the state to 11 accounts operated by some top officials in the state.
The commissioner blamed the state government’s fate on All Progressives Congress, APC-led Federal Government for using the anti-graft agency to ‘witch-hunt ‘suspected enemies’ in its desperation to return to power in 2019.
In a similar manner, Udoh in a release entitled “Re: EFCC probes Akwa Ibom over withdrawal of another N6.5b from account and dated November 11, 2018 said the attention of the Akwa Ibom State Government has been drawn to a publication in the Nation Newspaper of November 11, 2018 alleging an Economic Financial & Crimes Commission (EFCC) probe of Akwa Ibom Government over withdrawal of N6.5bn from the state coffers.
Again, he blamed the opposition party in the state for the alleged probe “We wish to state emphatically as follows: that this is a malicious allegation and a desperate face saving effort by the EFCC to justify the several illegalities it has allowed itself to be used by the opposition to perpetrate against the Akwa Ibom State Government which have attracted widespread condemnation within and outside the country.”
The commissioner veered off the issue “For avoidance of doubt, the constitution and laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria authorizes only the state House of Assembly and the state Auditor-General to pry into the financial dealings of a state government.”
He noted “For the records, the current administration has made Akwa Ibom State one of the few states; if not the only state that publishes its annual audited financial statements. This underscores the state government’s commitment to transparency, accountability and integrity in governance. Copies of the state’s annual audited financial statements are available in the public domain.
The commissioner turned the tide against the newspaper thus “This story was earlier published in the same newspaper by the same author on August 12, 2018, and since it did not have the intended effects, EFCC has sadly condescended to regurgitating the story in a flagrant act of impunity against existing laws of Nigeria.
“The Akwa Ibom state Government will do all within its lawful limits to protect the integrity of governance in the state.
“Recall that the Akwa Ibom State Government had served notices of contempt to the EFCC and would not be dragged into a public discourse on a matter that is patently sub judice.
“This matter is before the Federal High Court Uyo,’’ he concluded.
Recall that The Nation published “But following intelligence report, EFCC discovered that the allocation was gradually withdrawn in cash for “unknown purposes.”
“Detectives have started investigating clues that the cash was laundered by some state officials including a commissioner.
“About N200 million out of the sum has been traced to the account of a commissioner in the state.”
It continued “Findings revealed that N105 million out of the N200 million was suspected to be a kick-back from a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who was allegedly paid about N530 million as “curious legal fees.”
“According to a fact-sheet obtained from the anti-graft agency, the N6.5billion was diverted from a derivation account to the imprest account between 2015 and 2017.
“A top source, who is privy to ongoing investigation, said: “The ongoing investigation of Akwa Ibom State has led to the uncovering of how another N6.5 billion was withdrawn in cash in tranches for unspecified purposes.
“The Bank Unit succeeded in tracking the cash from the Derivation Account/ Allocation to the imprest account of the Ministry of Justice/Office of the Accountant-General in the state. This investigation is different from the N1.4 billion, belonging to the state, which was wired into 11 suspected slush accounts.
“Preliminary investigation confirmed a serious case of money laundering. The N6.5billion was withdrawn in piecemeal in cash to cover up any trail.
“We are already looking into the accounts of some individuals and officials of the state including a commissioner who was suspected to have benefitted about N105 million out of about N530 million linked with a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
“In fact, records showed that the commissioner made many cash deposits of N5 million, N10 million and N20 million into his personal accounts. One of the aides of the commissioner was discovered to have assisted in making the cash deposits too.
“Our detectives have renewed the review of the SAN’s accounts accordingly. Certainly, many links were used to launder the N6.5 billion.”
Responding to a question, the source added: “The aide to the commissioner has been detected and he has made useful statement.
“Cash transactions by officials in Akwa Ibom have become rampant. But we will get to the roots of the laundering of this N6.5 billion between 2015 and 2017.”
Some of the accounts belong to eight top lawyers in the country who are under surveillance.
One of the affected lawyers has made statement to the EFCC on how he came about huge transfers into his account from Akwa Ibom State Government accounts.
The source told detectives that the “curious deposits” were legal fees for 16 cases but without records of any agreement between his team and the state government.
But instead of paying the legal fees through cheques, the N1.4 billion was hauled into the 11 accounts in cash.
The EFCC however discovered that one of the accounts was opened on March 16, 2016 and the narration of the deposit showed that it received huge sum on March 14, 2016.
The N1.4 billion was remitted into the 12 accounts as follows: N135m; N120m; N100m; N60m; N60m; N65m; N570m; N75m; N75m; N75m; N30m; and N45m.
The fact-sheet said: “There was no document tied to specific payment. The deposit also did not specify what the cash was meant for.
“There was no evidence of any agreement between the state government and the beneficiaries of the N1.4 billion. The lead coordinator of the lawyers who benefitted from the cash could not say how much was charged and how much was agreed upon.
“The lead lawyer only said the cash was for 16 cases in various courts across the country but only a case was reflected as having gone from the lower court to the Supreme Court.
“The lead lawyer has made statement without any shred of evidence or document to justify the legal contract.”
