Fresh revelation about ownership of $50m cash discover by EFCC in Lagos

As investigations about ownership of the $50 million discovered in a residential building located at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) continues, more revelation has linked the money to Mr. Tony Anenih Jnr, son of former Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih.

Meanwhile, sources at the anti-graft agency still insist that the principal ownership of the money is pointing to sacked Managing Director, Operations, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mrs. Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue.

Mrs. Nnamdi-Ogbue, was sacked alongside other three top Managing Directors at the NNPC over the ‘missing’ petrol scandal involving Capital Oil & Gas Nigeria Limited owned by businessman, Ifeanyi Ubah.

It would be recalled that the cook who served Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, absconded with cash and pieces of jewellery worth $6million in 2016.

The cook, Mr. Gabel Segbedji, a national of Benin Republic, took off with the loot in a Toyota Camry car, which also belonged to her boss.

In a swift reaction, Mr. Emeka Etiaba, SAN, Counsel to Mrs. Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, in a statement denied reports linking her client to the monies.

The house where the looted money was found….insert: Ahmed Adamu Mu’aza, former PDP Chairman

According to the statement, “The attention of Our Client, Mrs. Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue has been drawn to the news making round in the News Media to the effect that the large sums of money to wit: $38,000,000.00 (Thirty-Eight Million Dollars), N23,000,000.00 (Twenty-Three Million Naira) and £27,000.00 (Twenty-Seven Thousand Pounds) uncovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) from an apartment in Osborne Towers, Osborne Road, Ikoyi Lagos, Lagos State belong to her.

“By this Press Release, we inform the public (especially the News Media) that the said sums of money and/or the apartment where the sums of money were found do not belong to Our Client.

“Our Client is as shocked as many other Nigerians at the uncovering and recovery of the said sums of money and wishes to salute the courage and efforts of the EFCC in the war against corruption.

“She also wishes to commend the whistle blowing policy introduced by the Federal Government in the fight against corruption which policy has resulted in large scale uncovering and recovery of monies and assets.

“It is Our Client’s belief that the source and ownership of the said uncovered sums of money is known or eventually will be known by the EFCC in due course. There is therefore, no need for conjecture or speculation.

“May we finally implore the News Media to be more circumspect in their publications.”

In the same vein, Alhaji Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, former National Chairman of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has failed to clear his name from the list of those connected to the looted money.

Mu’azu through his Personal Assistant on Media and ICT, Mr. Akin Oyegoke, who is based in London claimed that his Principal has nothing to do with the house where the money was found but when SaharaReporters provided proofs linking him (Mu’azu) to the house, he faded away.

Oyegoke despite his claim Mu’azu is not the owner of the house failed to explain why the construction firm, Etco Nigeria Limited that built the house listed his name (Mu’azu) as a client.

Etco Nigeria Limited, a construction firm partly owned by an Israeli company, Electral Limited, prides itself as having built several residential and corporate complexes in Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Lagos including the property at No 16 Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, where EFCC recovered over $50 million cash stashed away in fire-resistant cabinets behind a false wall on Wednesday afternoon.

“Mr Mu’azu does not own any house in Ikoyi except his house at Walter Carrington street, Victoria Island Lagos,” Oyegoke said.

Oyegoke, also denied that his boss ever lived in the apartment neither has he ever stay in the Penthouse.

Meanwhile, sources close the ex-PDP chair have confirmed that he is indeed the owner of the property.

Mu’azu was the former governor of Bauchi between 1999 and 2007. A graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, he received Bachelor of Science degree in Quantity Surveying and masters’ degree in Construction Management.

He served as property manager of the Bauchi State Investment and Property Development Company. He ran for the senate seat in the 2007 but was defeated, but was later elected as chairman of his party, the PDP in 2014 before fleeing Nigeria in 2015 after the party’s candidate, Goodluck Jonathan was defeated in a Presidential Election that brought the opposition All Progressives Congress party to power.

Mu’aza had previously been declared wanted by the EFCC for engaging in massive corruption. He is believed to be living between the United Kingdom and Malaysia aided by a luxurious private jet he purchased after 2015 general election in Nigeria.