With Adoke In Custody, EFCC Moves To Extradite Kuku, Aluko, Diezani, Momoh, Etete, 13 Others

Cat:

Related stories

Israel-Iran War: How FG ‘ll Benefit As Oil Prices Surge to $78.50 Per Barrel

Experts: Inflation Looms By Abiola Olawale Global oil prices have...

Intimate Affairs: This is about laid-back husbands, by Funke Egbemode

She married down, below her needs, wants and vision...

Charting the Global Economy: Israeli Airstrikes Boost Oil Prices

Crude oil prices surged and investors sought the safety...

Which Country Has The Largest Oil Refinery In The World?

Crude oil is a naturally occurring liquid fossil fuel,...
  • Intensifies Collaboration with Interpol, FBI, Metropolitan Police

By Hamilton Nwosa ( Head The New Diplomat’s Business Desk)

Buoyed by the  arrest of  former Attorney -General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,  Mr Mohammed Adoke(SAN) in Dubai  by Interpol and his subsequent repatriation to Nigeria to face allegations of graft which centre around $1.9bn Malabu Oil deals, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reportedly stepped up moves to extradite about 18 high-profile suspects. Among these suspects are  said to be a former Coordinator of Presidential Amnesty Programme, Mr Kingsley Kuku, a former managing director of Petroleum  Products Marketing Company(PPMC), Mr Haruna Momoh, former  Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, Dr Ngozi Olojeme, a former chairman of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund(NSITF) and Mr Kola Aluko, a business ally of Diezani and Jide Omokore  whose firm’s assets( Atlantic Energy) were recently confiscated by AMCON over a N29bn unpaid debts.

The New Diplomat gathered that others on the 18-man high-profile watch-list include Chief Dan Etete( Dauzia Loya Etete) , who is a  former Minister of Petroleum Resources,  Muna Seidougha, and Amaran Joseph  who are wanted in connection with alleged infractions relating to Malabu Oil Block deals. While Olojeme  who is believed to be on the run is being sought in connection with alleged diversion of a staggering N48.4bn is reportedly being sought to answer these allegations  just as Kuku is being watch-listed over alleged fraudulent  diversion of multi-billion naira Amnesty funds into private accounts.

 In the case of Kuku, sources hinted that the chairman and CEO of Airpeace Allen Onyema who is also being investigated along with his cohorts on 27 count charges of bank fraud, credit application fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft, as well as alleged crooked wire deals amounting to about $44.9million, may  have made some startling statements to investigating agencies as to how his NGOs may have been inappropriately engaged  for business deals at the Presidential Amnesty Office during Kuku’s time as Coordinator.  On his part, Haruna Momoh is being accused of fleecing the PPMC and committing wide-ranging financial infractions with Crude Oil Swap deals while he held sway as MD of  PPMC . Another suspect said to be on the radar of the EFCC is one Adam Quinn, a British national, over his alleged role in the controversial $9.6bn judgment against the federal government.

On his part, Kola Aluko has been on the run since the Buhari administration come into power in 2015. Recall that prosecutors in the United States had since 2017 provided details of how the trio of Diezani,  Omokore and Aluko, allegedly  lavished billions of naira on property and luxury items in the U.S. and UK. The troika who have been at the centre of many high-level investigations and court actions around the management of Nigeria’s oil industry during the preceding administration, have come under intense criticism, public censure and litigations. Omokore’s Atlantic Energy’s  recent forfeiture of assets amounting to N29bn over unpaid hanging debts  is an outcome of these investigations and litigations.

In 2016, the  Buhari administration had filed a court action for world-wide seizure of multi-billion naira assets linked to both Aluko and Omokore, who were accused of sundry offences including conspiring to bribe Diezani by  purchasing property worth millions of dollars in London for her and her family. EFCC sources hinted that the anti-graft agency’s current extradition moves  is accentuated by the success it recorded with the case of  Adoke, a  former justice minister  and Attorney-General of the Federation who was arrested in Dubai and subsequently  repatriated to Nigeria to face trials over his alleged role in a graft case entailing about  $1.3 billion oil deal in which both  Eni and Shell were also accused of playing various  roles.

Eni and Shell are accused of handing out bribes during the 2011 purchase of OPL245, an offshore oil block, for $1.3 billion. Both multi-national oil companies have  consistently  denied  any wrongdoing in the case popularly known as  “Malabu scandal. ” However, this has led to  a  slew  of litigations in a number of countries that have led to convictions in Italy and a probe against Shell in the Netherlands. The New Diplomat gathered that the EFCC  has intensified its collaboration with Interpol, the Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom, the UK’s National Crimes Agency and  the US Federal Bureau of Investigations(FBI) in its bid to track down these 18 high-profile suspects said to be currently  residing in various  international jurisdictions  including the US, UK and the UAE.

Said an insider at the anti-graft agency; “ We are working very hard to get hold of these men. With the success recorded over the former Attorney General’s  matter in Dubai, it is certain that  we would track many of them and bring them back to face trial. Nigeria is a signatory to international protocols on extradition. For example, Nigeria signed about six agreements with the UAE in 2016. And these  includes Extradition, Transfer of Sentenced Persons, Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters and Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal and Commercial Matters”. Recall that President Buhari had recently urged the international community to assist in Nigeria’s efforts to extradite accused persons to Nigeria to face allegations leveled against them.

Hamilton Nwosa
Hamilton Nwosa
Hamilton Nwosa is an experienced, and committed communication, business, administrative, data and research specialist . His deep knowledge of the intersection between communication, business, data, and journalism are quite profound. His passion for professional excellence remains the guiding principle of his work, and in the course of his career spanning sectors such as administration, tourism, business management, communication and journalism, Hamilton has won key awards. He is a delightful writer, researcher and data analyst. He loves team-work, problem-solving, organizational management, communication strategy, and enjoys travelling. He can be reached at: hamilton_68@yahoo.com

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

[tds_leads input_placeholder="Your email address" btn_horiz_align="content-horiz-center" pp_msg="SSd2ZSUyMHJlYWQlMjBhbmQlMjBhY2NlcHQlMjB0aGUlMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMiUyMyUyMiUzRVByaXZhY3klMjBQb2xpY3klM0MlMkZhJTNFLg==" pp_checkbox="yes" tdc_css="eyJhbGwiOnsibWFyZ2luLXRvcCI6IjMwIiwibWFyZ2luLWJvdHRvbSI6IjQwIiwiZGlzcGxheSI6IiJ9LCJwb3J0cmFpdCI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMTUiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMjUiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sInBvcnRyYWl0X21heF93aWR0aCI6MTAxOCwicG9ydHJhaXRfbWluX3dpZHRoIjo3NjgsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMjAiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMzAiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sImxhbmRzY2FwZV9tYXhfd2lkdGgiOjExNDAsImxhbmRzY2FwZV9taW5fd2lkdGgiOjEwMTksInBob25lIjp7Im1hcmdpbi10b3AiOiIyMCIsImRpc3BsYXkiOiIifSwicGhvbmVfbWF4X3dpZHRoIjo3Njd9" display="column" gap="eyJhbGwiOiIyMCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTAiLCJsYW5kc2NhcGUiOiIxNSJ9" f_msg_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_input_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_btn_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_family="downtown-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_weight="700" f_btn_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_transform="uppercase" btn_text="Unlock All" btn_bg="#000000" btn_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxOCIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjE0IiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxNCJ9" input_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjEyIiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxMCJ9" pp_check_color_a="#000000" f_pp_font_weight="600" pp_check_square="#000000" msg_composer="" pp_check_color="rgba(0,0,0,0.56)" msg_succ_radius="0" msg_err_radius="0" input_border="1" f_unsub_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_msg_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_weight="500" f_msg_font_weight="500" f_unsub_font_weight="500"]

Latest stories

NDN
Latest News
Israel-Iran War: How FG 'll Benefit As Oil Prices Surge to $78.50 Per BarrelOjudu: It would be unrealistic to expect magnanimity from a sitting President toward individuals openly critical of his policiesIntimate Affairs: This is about laid-back husbands, by Funke EgbemodeCharting the Global Economy: Israeli Airstrikes Boost Oil PricesWhich Country Has The Largest Oil Refinery In The World?Presidency Slams National Honours List Featuring Innoson, Tunde Bakare, Aisha Yesufu, 33 OthersAgony As Lagos Local Govt Boss, Musibau Asafa, Dies at 68 of Prolonged IllnessOkpebholo, Ifeanyi Uba’s Seats: Groups Blast INEC Over Stalled Bye-ElectionsNigerian Govt Calls for Cessation as Iran-Israel War EscalatesFull-Scale War Erupts: Iran Unleashes Counterstrikes on IsraelEFCC arraigns Sun Trust Bank MD, ED for alleged $12m fraudNgũgĩ wa Thiong’o belonged to an age of prophets – we must honour his teachingSowore Warns: Why I 'll Sue Tinubu If He Puts My Name on National Honours ListAirport Incident: My Story, By Adams OshiomholeIsrael vs Iran: Trump Talks Tough, Warns Iran to ‘Make a Deal Now!’
X whatsapp