The EFCC has
said the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen; Governor Ayo Fayose
of Ekiti; his predecessor and the current Minister of Solid Minerals
Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; and the immediate past Minister of Finance, Dr.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, are among high-profile personalities currently under its
investigation.
These big names and others below are being investigated
for alleged massive corruption.
These are contained in the
list of high-profile cases involving over 100 politically-exposed persons and
top-ranking public officers still being investigated by the EFCC as of August
2017.
The list, sighted by Punch via an EFCC source on Monday, was
recently sent by the anti-graft agency to the Attorney General of the
Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), based on request.
The Punch had
reported that the list, sent to the AGF’s office earlier in August, comprised
over 100 high-profile cases including the cases of a Justice of the Supreme
Court and a judge of the Federal High Court.
It has also reported that
some former governors, one of whom currently serves as a minister in the
President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet, and others serving their terms in the
Senate as well as other politically-exposed persons, including some former
ministers, senators and some persons are being investigated for the $2.1bn arms
purchase scam.
“The list was actually sent in August to the then Acting
President Yemi Osinbajo and copied the AGF,” another EFCC source said on
Tuesday.
The list, sighted earlier on Monday, listed 106 cases under
investigation and several others pending in court but either stalled or moving
slowly.
It did not disclose the details of the cases under investigation.
But it stated the date each of the over 100 cases was “referred”, the challenges
being encountered in the investigation and the source of information leading to
the commencement of the probe.
Sources of such information for the cases
were listed against each of the cases.
They include intelligence,
whistle-blowers and petitions from agencies and private citizens.
Among
other notable names on the list are:
Captain Idris Wada.
Other former governors on the list include Godswill
Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, who is currently the Senate’s Minority Leader; Jonah
Jang of Plateau State, currently serving as Senator representing Plateau North;
Ali Modu Sherriff of Borno State, who recently had a controversial stint as the
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party; and Chief Lucky Igbinedion of
Edo State.
Also listed are the names of Dame Patience Jonathan, wife of
former President Goodluck Jonathan; and some ministers who served under the
Jonathan administration.
Apart from Okonjo-Iweala, former ministers on
the list include the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs.
Diezani Alison-Madueke; the immediate past Attorney General of the Federation
and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN); a former Minister of the
Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed; ex-Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella
Oduah, who is currently the Senator representing Anambra North; and ex-Minister
of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe.
Alison-Madueke’s husband’s name,
Reaf Admiral Alison Madueke (retd.), was also listed.
Also sighted on the
list are the names of two men who simultaneously served as media aides to
Jonathan – ex-Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr.
Reuben Abati, and a former Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public
Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe.
Other prominent high-profile persons on the
list are a former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi
Dikko; a former acting Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus; Col. Bello Fadile
(retd.), who served under the immediate past National Security Adviser, Sambo
Dasuki; the incoming Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdu
Kafarati; and Justice Mohammed Tsamiya, who was recently retired compulsorily by
the National Judicial Council.
The EFCC stated in the document that it
was investigating the CJN based on intelligence referred to it on October 12,
2016. The document indicated that the commission was investigating Okonjo-Iweala
based on a petition referred to it on January 28, 2016. Others were also
referenced.