EFCC accuses governor, Obanikoro of N4.7bn fraud

monjola sotubo

June 22, 2016 12:13 PM

An EFCC source made the disclosure to Punch following the freezing of Fayose’s accounts by the agency.

Ekiti state Governor, Ayodele Fayose.

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“The entire fraud started from the company that Obanikoro’s sons were operating. The company was set up by some people but curiously made Obanikoro sons signatories to the account,” the source said.

“The owner of A. A. G. B. S Oil and Gas confirmed to us that the company is a BDC but was only bearing the name of an oil company. He confirmed that he received N168m from Sylvan McNamara and $1m was delivered to Obanikoro in cash while he was the Minister of State for Defence based on the exchange rate at the time,” an EFCC detective told Punch.

“Obanikoro acknowledged receipt of the cash and we have recovered evidence. Some of the remaining dollars was received by Obanikoro’s son, Gbolahan.

“On June 12, 2014, barely 10 days to the Ekiti State governorship election, Obanikoro and a man, who claimed to be his Aide-de-Camp by the name of A. O. Adewale, chartered a private jet belonging to OAS Helicopters.

“About N724,500,000 was conveyed on the plane with tail number N638MA. The plane was an HS125 jet, operated by Okin Travellers, a subsidiary of Elizade. The plane landed at Akure at 9.38am and then went back to Lagos to get an extra N494,900,000 and landed at Akure at 5.57pm.

“Obanikoro handed the money over to one Abiodun Agbele, otherwise known as Abbey, an associate of Fayose. Officials of Zenith Bank arrived at the tarmac in a bullion van to convey all the cash to the bank’s vault, located at 13 Alagbaka Estate, Akure.

“Abbey directed the bank to pay N137m into the account of Ayodele Fayose with number 1003126654 and Bank Verification Number 22338867502. The bank teller dated June 26, 2014, was filled by Abbey with teller number 0556814.

“Abbey directed the bank to transfer N118,760,000 to the same account and paid in N50m cash into Fayose’s account. On April 7, 2015, several months later, Fayose personally moved N300m to his fixed deposit account at Zenith Bank with number 9013074033 with the same BVN. The account is domiciled at 15 Olusola Abiona Street, Estate, Alapere, Ketu, Lagos,” he added.

The EFCC recently raided Obanikoro’s homes in Ikoyi but the former minister, who is currently in the United States of America, has said that he won’t honour the agency’s invitation.

monjola sotubo