Former Airforce Director of Finance, Air Commodore Gbadebo Returns N84M Looted Funds
According to new reports, former Nigerian Airforce Director of Finance,
Air Commodore O. O Gbadebo has reportedly returned the sum of N84 million
looted funds to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission currently
investigating $2.1 B diverted arms funds.
Last week, the commission seized houses belonging to Gbadebo; the immediate
past Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (retd.); and the Chief of
Accounts and Budgeting of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal J.B.
Adigun, all worth about N5bn.
In a fresh report by punch, an EFCC
official said, “After we sealed some properties last week, we continued to
grill the three officers. Gbadebo finally confessed to diverting N84m into his
company account. The money was swiftly recovered.
“We have also seized a large fish processing company belonging to Adigun. He
also manufactures fish feeds, which he sells to end users.”
The source debunked reports making the rounds that the anti-graft agency
recovered $1m from Amosu’s Badagry home when it was searched.
He explained that about $117,000 was recovered from the home of the ex-NAF
boss.
The source added, “There have been reports that $1m was recovered from a soak
away in Amosu’s Badagry home. This is not true.
“The actual amount recovered was about $117,000 and it was kept in a safe in
the house and not in a soak away. The money is currently in our exhibit room.
We also recovered N200, 000 in cash from the house.”
Explaining the modus operandi of the suspects, the EFCC detective explained
that the suspects usually used their wives to carry out the shady deals.
He said before transferring money, the Air Force officers would use third
parties to set up companies and bank accounts, to which their wives would be
signatories.
It was learnt that the military officers would then make phantom transactions
and transfer money into the bank accounts of the companies while their wives
would take possession of the sums.
“Amosu’s wife, Omolara, was arrested when she came to see her husband in
detention. She cooperated with us and we have also recovered money from the
company. Adigun’s wife, Helen, also did the same.
“They have both been released,” the source stated.
About 11 Air Force officers are currently under investigation by the
commission
The source said Adigun had been released by the EFCC but did not say whether
the NAF chief was released on bail or if he had returned any money to the
anti-graft agency.
However, the spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, was unable to
confirm the recoveries when one of our correspondents contacted him on the
telephone on Sunday.
“The investigation into the arms scandal is still ongoing and I am not able to
comment on specific recoveries,” he said.
Amosu and 10 senior officers are being probed by the EFCC as part of
investigations into the $2.1bn arms scam, especially in relation to the 10
contracts of the NAF, said to be worth $930,500,690.00.
Last week, the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex
Badeh (retd.), was detained by the anti-graft agency.
Both Badeh and Amosu are answering questions on the non-specification of
procurement costs, absence of contract agreements, award of contracts beyond
authorized thresholds, transfer of public funds for unidentified purposes and
general non-adherence to provisions of the Public Procurement Act.
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