Exposed: A multibillion-naira scam in the ministry of humanitarian relief found, with Buhari’s minister and contractor to be charged

A total of N37,170,855,753.44 has been unearthed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as money purportedly laundered in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs under former minister Sadiya Umar-Farouk.

The money was moved from the federal government’s coffers to 38 separate bank accounts located in five legacy commercial banks that belonged to or were associated with a contractor named James Okwete, according to details of the ongoing investigation that this paper exclusively obtained, according to Sunday PUNCH.

After receiving the money, Okwete is said to have transferred N6,746,034,000.00 to Bureau De Change Operators, taken out N540,000,000.00 in cash, and used N288,348,600.00 to buy expensive cars and N2,195,115,000.00 to buy expensive houses in Abuja and Enugu State.

Okwete was purportedly linked to 53 companies, and it was claimed that he utilised 47 of the companies to

lift contracts with the Federal Government worth N27,423,824,339.86. Additionally, he is connected to 143 bank accounts across 12 commercial banks, of which 134 are corporate accounts connected to various businesses.

After checking with the Corporate Affairs Commission, our correspondent discovered that Okwete is only a director in 11 out of the 53 companies; the accounts of the other 42 companies are only associated with his Bank Verification Number as a signatory.

Currently, eight agencies—including the National Social Investment Office, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internationally Displaced Persons—are under the umbrella of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.

The first minister was Umar-Farouq.

The suspect paid N2,195,115,000.00 to acquire prime properties in Abuja and Enugu State, transferred N6,746,034,000.00 to Bureau De Change Operators, and took N540,000,000.00 out in cash.

53 businesses were linked to the culprit. He lifted contracts worth N27,423,824,339.86 from the Federal Government by using 47 of the companies. Twelve commercial banks have 143 bank accounts connected to Okwete, of which 134 are corporate accounts connected to various businesses.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission reported in 2020 that it had found N2.67 billion in private bank accounts intended for the ministry’s school feeding programme.

Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, the former chairman of the ICPC, revealed that the commission unearthed N2.67 billion from personal accounts, which were payments made to certain federal colleges for school feeding during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.

Other discoveries by the ICPC include 18 buildings, 12 business premises and 25 plots of land. Owasanoye said under the Open Treasury Portal review carried out between January and August 15, 2020, of the 268 Ministries, Departments and Agendas, 72 had cumulative infractions of N90m.

The former ICPC chairman argued that the money was paid when children were not in school.

Despite requests by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project to Umar-Farouq to publish details and names of the suspects, the former minister failed to reveal their names.

Reacting to this, SERAP had written on its official Facebook page, “Following the disclosure by the ICPC that N2.67bn meant for school feeding during the COVID-19 lockdown ended up in private bank accounts, we’re calling on the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development of Nigeria, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, to immediately publish details of those suspected to be responsible, or face legal action.

“If the names are not immediately published, we’ll issue a freedom of information request to ensure that those involved are named and shamed.

“We’ll also pursue appropriate legal actions to hold suspected perpetrators to account, in the public interest.

“Diverting funds meant to feed school children (who are already disproportionately affected by corruption), especially during COVID-19, is a blatant violation of the rights to education, health, and dignity, as well as the government’s own COVID-19 transparency frameworks.

“Corruption in school feeding increases distrust in the government. The Federal Government must ensure that transparency and accountability measures are fundamental to all school feeding and other initiatives in the context of COVID-19, to ensure the children receive the support they need.”

When contacted over the development, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, neither confirmed nor denied the story.

Oyewale simply said, “No comments on that.”

Lawyer, CSO react

Reacting, a human rights lawyer, Tolu Babaleye, said, “If we want to be sincere, the corruption under the Buhari government was unprecedented. The main accused under Goodluck Jonathan’s government was Diezani Alison-Madueke, but under Buhari, many have cases to answer. Nigerians deserve to know what happened in the aviation sector, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, and other sectors. I call on President Bola Tinubu to probe that administration so that Nigerians can know who is corrupt and for justice to be served.”

On his part, Chairman, Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa, Ezenwa Nwagwu, urged Tinubu to probe all previous administrations.

“Buhari’s government should be probed, and not just his government, but all previous governments and past heads of MDAs, and all those who are found wanting should be brought to justice,” Nwagwu noted.

Similarly, the Counsellor of a Civil Society Organisation, International Social Justice and Human Rights, Jackson Omenazu, said, “It is exceptionally important to probe the Buhari government, but Tinubu is morally incapacitated to probe Buhari’s government because he is an integral part of the APC government.

“Tinubu cannot exonerate himself from the maladministration of Buhari. (Godwin) Emefiele (former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria) is just a victim of circumstances. The only crime he committed was because he raised his head gullibly and showed interest in being President.”

Another lawyer and public affairs commentator, Jiti Ogunye, said that it was desirable for the present administration to probe the preceding administration following the Air Nigeria and CBN scandals, but regretted that the law did not make provisions for that.

Ogunye noted that the law only allowed the incumbent administration to probe individuals who were engaged in corrupt practices under the previous administration, including the President, to establish facts.

He stated, “When Nigerians are fascinated with the idea of a holistic and comprehensive probe of a past administration by the succeeding administration, the law does not grant an administration that blanket powers to probe the past administration in the way Nigerians imagine.

“We have anti-corruption agencies, which are the ICPC and EFCC. We have criminal laws, anti-corruption laws, and money laundering laws. Recently, we have had the Proceeds of Crime Act. The provision of these anti-corruption laws has no place for targeting an administration in totality like that, but if there are individuals, including a former president, who are suspected to have committed corruption crimes, guilty of corrupt practices, or suspected to have committed money laundering, if found guilty of all other crimes bordering on corrupt practices and abuse of power, these individuals may be investigated specifically.”