The Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday grilled a former aide to Obanikoro as part of investigations into the N4.7bn the former minister allegedly received from the Office of the National Security Adviser under the leadership of the embattled former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).
Obanikoro was alleged to have received the N4.7bn through the Diamond Bank account of Sylvan McNamara, a company allegedly owned by his two sons – Babajide and Gbolahan.
A source at the anti-graft agency said after Obanikoro allegedly handed over N1.219bn to Fayose and N1.3bn to Omisore, he directed that about N759,384,300 be transferred into the accounts of about six bureau de change operators, Punch Newspaper reports
The two bureau de change operators that received the bulk of the funds were A. A. G. B. S. Oil and Gas and North Line Limited.
While A. A. G. B. S. received N168m on June 16, 2014, North Line Limited received N835, 000 on July 14; received N83,750,000 on June 17; N1,680,000 on September 3, 2014; about N2,325,300 on September 9; N5,932,500 on September 17 and N842,500 on July 30.
The source in the EFCC added, “We interrogated one of the aides to Obanikoro. He was also the one who arranged for payments of $25,200 to Gyro Air, which flew Obanikoro along with the N1.219bn to Akure, after which the N1.219bn was handed over to Agbele.
“This same aide visited a bureau de change operator and collected over $1m on behalf of Obanikoro and handed it over to the minister in some bags. The aide cooperated with us, wrote his statement and has been granted bail.”
In a related development, Still Earth Limited, which reportedly sold four duplexes in Lagos State to Fayose, has denied allegations that it helped the governor to launder stolen money.
The company said it had constructed over 45 kilometres of road in the country and handled several building projects.
It explained that De-Privateer Limited, a company owned by Agbele, approached Still Earth Limited and bought four chalets from the firm via payment to her corporate accounts with First Bank of Nigeria (1000070240) and Zenith Bank (1014016919) accordingly.
The firm said it never collected cash from Fayose or Agbele, adding that it even rejected a N5bn contract from the Ekiti State Government in lieu of the agency fees on the four duplexes in Lagos.
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