EFCC grills Jonathan’s cousin over $40m ‘militants’ money’

The anti-graft war took a dramatic turn on Wednesday as operatives of the EFCC grilled Mr. Azibaola Roberts, a cousin to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, over $40million (N12.7b) cash obtained from the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA) to ‘pacify’ militants in the Niger Delta.

Roberts, who was arrested alongside colleague Dakoru Atukpa, is the Managing Director of Kakatar Construction and Engineering Company Limited and One-Plus Holdings.

The counsel to Jonathan’s cousin, Gordy Uche (SAN) accused the EFCC of embarking on a vendetta mission against the ex-President.

He said Roberts was being persecuted because of his DNA link with Jonathan.

According to findings, the EFCC had arrested Roberts and Dakoru since March 23 in line with the ongoing probe of 300 companies involved in phantom contracts by ONSA.

It was however gathered that as at press time on Wednesday, the suspects, who could not meet bail terms, were still undergoing grilling.

A reliable source in the commission said: “The suspects were arrested in respect of payment of $40million by ONSA for a contract which was tagged as purchase of tactical equipment for Special Forces.

“When they interacted with our investigators, they could not explain what the contract was meant for. They said they used the money to pacify militants in the Niger Delta.

“Even though we wanted to accept their claim, there is no documentary evidence to show how the $40m contract was awarded, how it was disbursed and the list of beneficiaries.

“The case at hand is not about being a blood relation of a former President or not. Is he the only relation of the ex-President?

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“We are looking into payments made by ONSA and $40miilion was advanced without any record of how the contract or how it was awarded or done.”

The Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, who confirmed the ongoing investigation of Jonathan’s cousin and Dakoru said the agency had been fair in investigating the $40million.

The suspects’ lawyer, Uche in a statement in Abuja said the Federal Government was still owing his client $4million being balance of the contract sum for “successfully securing oil pipelines which saw Nigeria reap billions of US dollars from increased oil production.”

He asked the commission to “either charge his clients to court or release them on bail.”

Uche said: We have a civil dispute and then you turn around to lock up the party with whom you have a dispute. Then, you go ahead to give him impossible bail conditions.

“Two federal serving directors each with properties in Maitama or Asokoro and original of their Certificate of Occupancy; the four directors are also required to present bail bonds of N250m each from reputable bank. Robert and Atukpa are also required to deposit their international passports.

“Which serving Director in Nigeria today has property in Asokoro or Maitama districts, and can boast of N250million? It’s like saying bring the bones of your grandmother alive before we grant you bail.

“The annoying thing is that while we were working to fulfill the bail conditions the EFCC went to court and obtained a remand order; which means that the Commission never intended to grant them bail in the first place”, he said.

 

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