EFCC Recovers Houses built with Slush Funds in C'River, Abuja, Lagos

By Abdul SULE (Abuja) and Missang AKPET (Calabar)

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it has recovered a combined sum of N27.1B and $19M from three money laundering cases involving former Governors and Ex- Ministers.

The spokesperson for the anti-graft agency, Dele Oyewale, made this known during a media parley with journalists on Wednesday in Lagos.

The commission said it would soon make public details of its ongoing probe of some former governors, ex-ministers, and several government officials across the federation, following the receipt of several petitions.

Oyewale said the EFCC had seized several houses in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Cross River states which are proceeds of funds meant for the Mambilla and Zungeru Power projects, illegally diverted through sundry Bureau de Change operators.

He revealed that the agency is also carrying out ongoing investigations into some fraudulent procurements involving some officials of the Federal Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Agriculture. 

"The commission has recovered N27,184,357,524.52 and $19,084,419.33 in three different cases, petitions were also received in respect of several public officials including some former governors, some former ministers, and some ministry officials. Investigations are ongoing on those petitions; however, details of their involvements and our investigations will soon be made public.

“Also, investigations are ongoing in respect of monumental fraud involving some officials of the Federal Ministry of Power and Agriculture; procurement fraud actually.

Funds meant for the Mambilla and Zungeru Power projects were diverted through sundry Bureau de Change operators. "For now, several houses purchased with the funds are being recovered. The houses are in Abuja, Lagos and Cross River States,” Oyewale said.