The EFCC has launched a fresh investigation into the alleged diversion
of N4.4b from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency
into the accounts of top officers of the Nigerian Air Force.Consequently, EFCC has transferred the immediate past Chief of Defence
Staff, Alex Badeh, and a former Director, Finance and Accounting at NAF,
Air Cdre S.A. Yushau, from Abuja to Lagos office.
It will be recalled that as part of efforts to ensure security in the Nigerian maritime sector, NIMASA, had on August 26, 2013, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the NAF with a view to providing effective air surveillance and monitoring of the nation’s coastal waters.
As part of the MoU, the Air Force was supposed to
It will be recalled that as part of efforts to ensure security in the Nigerian maritime sector, NIMASA, had on August 26, 2013, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the NAF with a view to providing effective air surveillance and monitoring of the nation’s coastal waters.
As part of the MoU, the Air Force was supposed to
carry out aerial surveillance, reconnaissance, search and rescue,
tactical airlift, enforcement and provide intelligence reports to
NIMASA, which would aid in the fight against piracy, illegal bunkering
and pipeline vandalism.
Badeh, who was Chief of Air Staff at the time, signed on behalf of the NAF, while Patrick Akpobolokemi, who was the Director-General of NIMASA, signed on behalf of the maritime agency.
Billions of naira was said to have been transferred from the bank account of NIMASA to the Air Force.
EFCC has revealed that its investigations showed that the money was diverted to private accounts.
An EFCC source told Punch that “We brought Badeh and Yushau to Lagos to answer to fresh allegations. The MoU that was signed by Badeh was for NAF aircraft to patrol the creeks to prevent pipeline vandalism and illegal oil bunkering
“As part of the agreement, money was transferred to the Air Force in two tranches – N1.4bn and N3bn – but the money was mostly in dollars. But the money was not used for that purpose.
“Rather, the MoU was a conduit pipe to siphon money from NIMASA to Air Force account and then to companies in which they had interests or their wives were directors or signatories.”
Giving insight into the fraud, the detective alleged that the NAF top chiefs set up some small oil companies under the pretext that the companies were supplying aviation fuel to military aircraft.
Money was then paid into the bank accounts of these companies but the fuel was never delivered.
The source added, “The money that was transferred from NIMASA to the Air Force was for maintenance of the equipment and the fuelling of the aircraft but the money, which was mostly in dollars, went straight into the accounts of Bureau de Change operators.
“The money was changed from dollars and then returned to the Air Force men.
“They then set up dummy oil companies, which made it look as if the companies were rendering services. They made it appear as if the companies were supplying aviation fuel to the NAF, which is not true.
“Investigations revealed that the companies were opened in readiness for money to be paid into their accounts. We discovered that in these companies, these officers have interest in it or their wives are directors or signatories to the accounts.”
The source said this was probably why piracy in Nigeria continued to increase despite everything.
Badeh, who was Chief of Air Staff at the time, signed on behalf of the NAF, while Patrick Akpobolokemi, who was the Director-General of NIMASA, signed on behalf of the maritime agency.
Billions of naira was said to have been transferred from the bank account of NIMASA to the Air Force.
EFCC has revealed that its investigations showed that the money was diverted to private accounts.
An EFCC source told Punch that “We brought Badeh and Yushau to Lagos to answer to fresh allegations. The MoU that was signed by Badeh was for NAF aircraft to patrol the creeks to prevent pipeline vandalism and illegal oil bunkering
“As part of the agreement, money was transferred to the Air Force in two tranches – N1.4bn and N3bn – but the money was mostly in dollars. But the money was not used for that purpose.
“Rather, the MoU was a conduit pipe to siphon money from NIMASA to Air Force account and then to companies in which they had interests or their wives were directors or signatories.”
Giving insight into the fraud, the detective alleged that the NAF top chiefs set up some small oil companies under the pretext that the companies were supplying aviation fuel to military aircraft.
Money was then paid into the bank accounts of these companies but the fuel was never delivered.
The source added, “The money that was transferred from NIMASA to the Air Force was for maintenance of the equipment and the fuelling of the aircraft but the money, which was mostly in dollars, went straight into the accounts of Bureau de Change operators.
“The money was changed from dollars and then returned to the Air Force men.
“They then set up dummy oil companies, which made it look as if the companies were rendering services. They made it appear as if the companies were supplying aviation fuel to the NAF, which is not true.
“Investigations revealed that the companies were opened in readiness for money to be paid into their accounts. We discovered that in these companies, these officers have interest in it or their wives are directors or signatories to the accounts.”
The source said this was probably why piracy in Nigeria continued to increase despite everything.
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