Anti-Magu senators may send 15-man team to
Buhari
A curious payment of N2, 922, 236.310 to 54
Senators during the tenure of Chief David Mark as
Senate President is now engaging the attention of
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC).
Each of the Senators is believed to have received
N45, 509, 090.
It is one of the issues Senator Mark is expected to
throw light on during his ongoing interactive
session with the agency, The Nation learned
authoritatively yesterday.
Five of the 54 Senators that benefitted from the
N2.9billion largesse are still members of the Green
chambers of the National Assembly.
Among them is a principal officer of the Senate.
While investigators suspect that the money may
have been sourced from the accounts of the
National Assembly, citizen Ifeanyichukwu Obazi-
Nweze, in a petition, claimed that it was trapped
cash of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The discovery of the cash disbursement by EFCC is
believed to have sparked the latest move by some
Senators to block the re-nomination of Mr. Ibrahim
Magu for confirmation as substantive Chairman of
EFCC.
The lawmakers are said to have drawn the battle
line with him.
Sources said yesterday that they planned to send
a 15-man secret delegation to Buhari to protest
against Magu and demand his removal.
Investigation by The Nation showed that the ex-
Senate President and some of the beneficiaries of
the largesse will have to explain who authorized
UBA to raise five manager cheques in favour of the
defunct Bank PHB and GTB.
The manager cheques were listed as MC No.
03816905 (N2,275,454,500)- Bank PHB; MC
03816915 (N133,400,000)-Bank PHB; MC No.
03816909(N103, 800,000)-Bank PHB; and MC No.
03816918(N364,072.720)-GTB.
Investigation showed that each of the 50
beneficiary Senators collected N45, 509, 090
amounting to N2,275,454,500.
A document, obtained by our correspondent, reads
in part: “The above manager cheque number
03816905 with a value of N2,275,454,500 was
deposited into the accounts of 50 Senators as
beneficiaries.
“Manager Cheque No. 0386915 of the sum of
N133, 400,000 and MC No. 03816909 of the sum
of N103, 800,000 have four beneficiaries as
follows: N133, 400,000; N51,900,000; N86,
250,000 and N51,900,000.
“However, it is important to note that the
beneficiaries of Manager Cheque(MC) No.
03816918 of N364, 072,720 to GTB and MC No.
3816912 of N45, 509, 090 to WEMA Bank are yet
to be ascertained. All efforts are being made to
uncover the beneficiaries.”
A highly placed source said: “From what detectives
have done, we are investigating alleged conspiracy,
abuse of office and misappropriation of public
funds of N2, 922, 236, 310 when Sen. David Mark
was the President of the Senate.”
The source said EFCC commenced its investigation
into the matter in 2015 following petitions by
National Assembly workers and one Ifeanyichukwu
Obazi-Nweze of Abogu Financial Company Limited
who claimed that the money was trapped cash of
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“The probe is not targeted at David Mark or the
Senate or the nation’s 109 Senators,” the source
said.
“Yet, no anti-graft agency will gloss over
N2.9billion shared by 54 Senators in one day.
“It is a case which preceded the eighth Senate but
as we probe on a daily basis, we dig up more facts
on how funds were siphoned from the coffers of the
National Assembly into private accounts.
“Contrary to the claim that the cash amounted to
trapped funds of PDP, our team succeeded in
tracing the source of the money to the account of
the Senate and how it was deposited or transferred
to the accounts of the affected Senators.
“We are looking at the motives behind the illegal
withdrawal of the money and depositing of same to
the accounts of the 54 Senators. We are also
interested in the recovery of the public funds.”
Detectives are expected to recover and analyze all
vouchers and other relevant documents from the
National Assembly with a view to ascertaining the
purpose of raising the five manager cheques and
uncover any likely conspiracy and diversion of the
funds.
“The investigating team has also been directed to
invite the officials of the Finance Department of the
National Assembly and signatories to the accounts
to shed light on the purpose for which the Manager
Cheques were raised to determine their roles in the
transactions.”
Responding to a question, the source added: “The
EFCC has not received the required cooperation
from the staff of the National Assembly, especially
members of the management.
“But we will explore ways of collaborating with
these management staff to get to the roots of this
fraud.”
On the link between the N2.9billion and the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the source said:
“We have not established that it was a trapped
cash of the opposition party. Rather, the cash in
question came from one of the accounts of the
National Assembly.
It was gathered that some of the affected Senators
had launched desperate moves to halt the
investigation.
A reliable source said: “Some of the 54 Senators
have drawn the battle line with the acting Chairman
of EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu and have vowed to
unseat him. They know they collected illegal
money and may have to refund same.
“Already, they have raised a 15-man team to have
audience with President Muhammadu Buhari on
why Magu must be removed for looking into
N2.9billion fraud. They are afraid of their shadows
because the ongoing investigation is leading to
more stunning discoveries.
“They believe they can only have their way if Magu
is eased out of EFCC.”
