Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele; Former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun; former Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari and others allegedly diverted N19 billion approved as legal fees by President Muhammadu Buhari to Joe Agi, SAN.
According to SaharaReporters, Agi was the lawyer who exposed and fought for the refund of the illegal deductions of the sum of $3.18billion corruptly deducted from the accounts of Local Government Areas in Nigeria at the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/130/2013.
Recall that the Nigerian government, which fraudulently deducted the money, returned part of it to the LGAs following a court judgment.
Buhari approved the fund of N19 billion to the lawyer as his legal fees from the $3.18million Paris Club refund.
The President in a letter obtained by SaharaReporters dated 21st November, 2016 reference No: HMF/FMF/OB-ODFLO/2016 approved “the payment of N19,439,225,871.11 representing legal fees to Joe Agi.”
SaharaReporters reported that sources in the presidency, however, disclosed that the money was diverted by Malami, Yari, Adeosun and Emefiele to the Nigerian Governors’ Forum Account with Access Bank (No: 0720311376, Sort Code No: 044080565) from where it was siphoned using different accounts.
“The Nigerian government has reluctantly refunded part of the Paris Club Refund but deliberately failed to mention Joe Agi (SAN) as the hero who exposed fraud and secured its refund. Despite the President approving some percentage of the money to him as legal fees, Malami and others have refused to pay him. They rather diverted the fund into their personal accounts.
“The conspiracy against the lawyer started by the former Governor of Zamfara state, Alhaji Abdulaziz Abubakar, who was then NGF chairman, the then Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, unfortunately, Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Governor Forum then conspired amongst themselves that the legal fees meant for the Senior Advocate of Nigeria be paid through the Nigerian Governors Forum account instead of my account as ordered by the Court.
“This conspiracy was effected through the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria and this legal fees was criminally diverted into the so called Nigerian Governors Forum Account, with Access Account No: 0720311376, Sort Code No: 044080565 from where the funds were siphoned using the under-listed accounts.
“The accounts were; HAD Properties Ltd with Jaiz Bank Plc – Account No. 0002184449, HASSAN AHMED DAN BABA with Guaranty Trust Bank Plc – Account No 00256000864, MELROSE GENERAL SERVICES company with Access Bank Plc- Account No. 0005892453, BINA CONSULT AND INTEGRATED SERVICES with Access Bank Pls – Account No. 0045824054 and BINA CONSULT AND INTEGRATED SERVICES with Zenith Bank Plc- Account No. 1010948906.”
The source added that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) despite being aware of the fraudulent activities refused to investigate Malami, Adeosun, Emefiele and Yari.
“The EFCC has colluded and condoned the fraud by refusing to investigate the fraud after almost four years,” he said.
Discussion about this post