– The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has submitted a report to the presidency on the N15billion it recovered in a flat in Ikoyi, Lagos
– The report gave details of the discoveries made during the operation
– It also gave details on the origin of the money
A report by Daily Trust indicates that the EFCC has submitted a report to the presidency on the N15billion it recovered in a flat in Ikoyi, Lagos on Wednesday, April 12.
According to the report, the anti-graft agency’s report to the presidency gave details of the discoveries made during the operation and the origin of the money.
The fund recovered by operatives of the EFCC was made up of $43.4 million, £27,000 and N23million totalling N15 billion.
EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu and his team have been working hard to unravel the real owners of the recovered fund
The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) had lay claim to the money, which it said was approved for covert operations by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, before the 2015 general elections.
Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike also claimed that the money belongs to the state, and gave the federal government seven days ultimatum to return the money to River state coffers, Wike also claimed that the money belongs to the state, and gave the federal government seven days ultimatum to return the money to River state coffers, Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike also claimed that the money belongs to the state, and gave the federal government seven days ultimatum to return the money to River state coffers, Wike also claimed that the money belongs to the state, and gave the federal government seven days ultimatum to return the money to River state coffers, ZENITHBLOG.com reported recently.
READ ALSO: Opinion: Ikoyi discovered loot belongs to me by Bayo Olupohunda
Those who speak for the NIA anonymously said the apartment was being used as a safe. However, EFCC sources point out that the apartment is being rented by a private company.
The EFCC is, therefore, working hard to unravel the identities of the owners, sources said.
Also, the EFCC is said to be interested in the role some tenants in other apartments in the building may have played in stashing the money.
The fund recovered in various currencies totalled N15billion
Among those who took up apartments in the highbrow area is a former governor as well as former senior officers of government agencies already under the radar of the EFCC over financial crimes.
ZENITHBLOG.com gathered that the Director General of the NIA visited the acting chairman of the EFCC and requested the money be given back to his agency, but his appeals were turned down.
NIA source told Daily Trust that the apartment where the EFCC recovered the fund was protected by NIA personnel adding that “even those protecting the place were not aware of what was inside. There were NIA officials there when the money was taken by the EFCC.”
The source also said the president was aware of all NIA operations. He was being briefed appropriately.
On why the fund was not returned to the Federation Account 2 years after it was approved, the NIA source said “normally moneys budgeted for security operations are not returned to the treasury.”
The agency insists that the recovered N15 billion belongs to it and that the fund was approved for a covert operation.
READ ALSO: EFCC searches Peter Obi’s apartment in Osborne Towers
Meanwhile, Senate President Bukola Saraki has decried the way the EFCC has been handling the fund recovery.
Saraki told Arise News Network on Monday, April 17 that the EFCC has poorly managed the issue, even as he stated that the anti-graft agency has a responsibility to tell Nigerians who the money belongs to.
According to him, it had become embarrassing that up till now there was no clarity on the ownership of the money.
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