The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday, detained former Finance Minister, Nenadi Usman. Usman was said to have reported at the Lagos office of the agency and was immediately taken into custody for interrogation.
The Minister was picked up by the anti-graft agency over her role in the billions withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria and paid into the accounts of six chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Goodluck Support Group.
Usman is alleged to have an account, titled “Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited” in which a substantial part of the funds was lodged and subsequently disbursed to party chieftains. She was said to have received the sum of N2.5 billion out of the over N4 billion which was transferred out of Central Bank of Nigeria into various individuals and company’s accounts.
In addition, the sum of N140 million cash was allegedly paid into her Zenith Bank Account in January 2015. Some of these funds are said to have been traced to her personal account and her company’s account which she used to acquire properties in Abuja.
Other suspected beneficiaries of the funds includes former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Social Democratic Party (SDP) leader Chief Olu Falae; former Imo State Governor Achike Udenwa; former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Viola Onwuliri and Okey Ezenwa.
According to a source: “Mrs Usman was the Director of Finance of the Presidential Campaign Committee for the re-election of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan. At the prompting of the former President, N4billion was withdrawn from the CBN under the guise of security needs for disbursement to party chieftains.”
“The cash was transferred into the account of Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited, a company traced to Mrs Usman, where it was later shared to various individuals and organisations for purposes that are not stated. Nenadi, who made a statement to EFCC later went abroad on an undisclosed mission.”
“Her trip slowed down investigation because she ought to reappear for further interrogation”
“Fani-Kayode was the chief beneficiary of the disbursement as he allegedly received N840million, paid in three tranches into his Zenith Bank, Maitama branch account with No.1004735721.”
“The first tranche of payment involving N350million hit the account on February 19, 2015. Another N250milion was also paid into the account on February19, 2015 while N240million was credited to the account a month later; precisely, March 19, 2015. The balance on this account as at 31st December, 2015 was N189, 402.72.”
“Next is Goodluck Support Group, which allegedly received N320million. Falae allegedly received N100m through Marreco Limited, a company where he is Chairman. The fund was credited into the company’s United Bank for Africa Plc account No. 1000627022 on March 25, 2014.”
“Both Udenwa and Mrs Onwuliri got N350million in two tranches. The first tranche of N150million was paid into their joint account with Zenith Bank on January 13, 2015. The second tranche of N200miilion was credited into their account with Diamond Bank.”
“Nenadi Usman got funds through her Zenith Bank account no. 1000158311 on 7, Kachia Road, Kaduna; N36.9million was credited to her. Okey Ezenwa got N100million.”
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