$2.1b Arms Scandal: Fleeing Ex-Governor Loses Choice Hotel In Singapore To Mistress
A run-away former governor has
lost a choice hotel in Singapore to
the latter day wife he used to
launder his loot.
The ex-governor is currently under
investigation by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) for allegedly benefitting
from the $2.1billion arms scandal.
Also hanging on his neck is an
allegation that he mismanaged
N19.8billion public funds while in
office.
He has refused to honour EFCC
invitation CR: 3000/EFCC/ABJ/
ASO/TM5/VOL.5/596.
The Nation gathered that the ex-
governor used to frequent Dubai,
Singapore, Hong Kong and
Malaysia.
But following the recent signing of
six agreements by Nigeria and the
United Arab Emirates (UAE), he
reportedly left Dubai for
Singapore.
A highly placed source familiar
with the ongoing probe of the ex-
governor, said the suspect
entered into a marriage of
convenience with the woman in
Singapore with a view to
protecting the investment of his
laundered funds in the choice
hotel.
He reportedly bought the hotel in
the name of the ‘wife’.
“But the marriage turned into a
scam because the ‘wife’ divorced
the ex-governor and took
possession of the hotel,” the
source said yesterday.
“The suspect has been battling to
retrieve the hotel from his ‘wife’.
It is however doubtful if he can
get it back.”
It was learnt that the ex-governor
is now in a serious dilemma.
Investigation revealed that over
N600million of the $2.1billion
arms scandal fund has so far been
traced to the ex-governor.
Another source said EFCC has
been on his trail in connection with
the alleged mismanagement of
N19.8billion state funds between
1999 and 2007.
“Documents showed that he
collected N600million illegally from
the $2.1billion arms deal cash
through the Office of the National
Security Adviser (NSA),” the source
said.
“Initially, the suspect was based in
Dubai but following a close up by
detectives, he left the UAE for
some countries where he has
been on a make-shift life.
“We are weighing options on how
to extradite him in order to bring
him to justice. We will explore all
legal options.
Responding to a question, the
source added: “The former
governor has been giving one
excuse or the other for not
honouring the invitation of the
EFCC.
“At a point, the suspect said he
had a heart-related problem but
intelligence report confirmed that
he was pretending.”
Meanwhile, the acting chairman of
EFCC, Ibrahim Magu has asked
Nigerian youths to take up the
gauntlet and become change
agents in the fight against
corruption in the country.
Represented by the head of the
Benin Zonal office, Mailafia
Yakubu, at an event to mark World
Peace Day celebration in Benin
City, Magu said the biggest
challenges facing Nigeria were the
“twin evils of corruption and
impunity.”
He charged the youths to imbibe
the culture of excellence as future
leaders of the country and to shun
all forms of criminality.
“The corrupt and other economic
and financial criminals can no
longer hide because the
Commission is working hard to
bring them to justice,” he added.
Magu said it was disheartening
that some youths were involved in
advance fee fraud but warned that
the prevailing economic challenge
was not an excuse to commit
crime.
He said: “I agree that the country
is going through a process but it is
not an excuse to commit crime,
be legitimate in your dealings so
you can be the future leaders that
you are.”