The EFCC on Wednesday arraigned former governors of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, and Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, before the Federal High Court in Abuja for alleged billions of Naira fraud charges.
Nyako, who was removed as Adamawa State Governor by the state House of Assembly on July 15, 2014, was arraigned along with his son, Abdul-Aziz, and others comprising, Zulkifikk Abba, Abubakar Aliyu as well as five firms.
His son, Abdul-Aziz, is the senator representing Adamawa Central in the National Assembly.
Nyako, his son and others were arraigned before Justice Evoh Chukwu for N29,099,430,879.92 fraud.
Other firms arraigned along with Nyako and his son, were Blue Opal Limited, Sebore Farms and Extension Limited, Pagoda Fortunes Limited, Tower Assets Management Limited and Crust Energy Limited.
All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the 37 counts and the judge subsequently ordered that they be remanded in the EFCC custody pending the hearing of their bail applications.
The accused persons allegedly kept the money under the control of Iro “for private use as against the official use with the aim of concealing the illicit origin of the said sum,” thereby committing an offence under section 15(1)(b) ) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.
In counts 24 to 29, the prosecution alleged that Nyako and others between February 9, 2013 and July 22, 2013, “by false pretence and with intent to defraud, induced the Adamawa State Government to deliver” a total sum of N846m to one Sebore Farms and Extension Limited in the name of maintaining peace and security in the state.
The alleged offences were contrary to section 1(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.
The sum of N847m was said to have been converted to a manager’s cheque in favour of Apo Federal Housing Authority, Abuja, constituting an offence under section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.
Simultaneously, the EFCC arraigned Ohakim, who was governor of Imo State between May 2007 and May 2011, on three counts of money laundering. He was accused of making cash payment of $2,290,000 (an equivalent of N270,000,000) for the purchase of a property at 60, Kwame Nkrumah Street, at Plot No 1098, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, Abuja.
Ohakim also pleaded not guilty to the three counts of money laundering charges involving alleged making cash payment of $2,290,000 (an equivalent of N270,000,000) for the purchase of a property at 60, Kwame Nkrumah Street, at Plot No 1,098, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, Abuja.
The former governor, who was accused of making the cash payment in November 2008, was also accused of collaborating with Tweenex Consociates H.D. Ltd. to conceal or disguise the ownership of the property which was allegedly derived from an illegal act.
The fraud was allegedly perpetrated by the former governor “by instructing the drafting and signing of a sales agreement over the said property between one Mukhtari Isa Maidabino and Tweenex Consciates H.D. Limited and also a tenancy agreement between Tweenex Consociates H.D. Ltd. and Chief Ikedi Ohakim over the same property” on November 14, 2008.
In the separate proceedings, Justice Chukwu and Justice Ademola ordered the accused persons to be remanded in the EFCC custody pending the hearing of their bail applications.
