EFCC Invites Okonjo-Iweala over $500m Abacha Loot

EFCC Invites Okonjo-Iweala over $500m Abacha Loot

The anti-corruption net has spread out to a former Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala after she was invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to explain how about $250million of the $500million recovered from the family of the late Head of State, Gen.Sani Abacha, was withdrawn.

According to findings by the EFCC, the cash was released to the Office of National Security Adviser( ONSA) without appropriation.

Fact-sheet obtained by The Nation shows the Acting Chairman of EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu, has approved Mrs Okonjo-Iweala’s invitation.

A top source said: “Magu has approved the invitation of the ex-minister. We have dispatched a letter of invitation to her. We are hopeful that she will respond.

“Her presence is necessary because there were issues about the $250million released especially why $36,155,000(N13,015,800billion) was withdrawn in cash.

“She needs to assist the EFCC team on what became of the balance of $250million which was yet to be traced.

“She has to explain  why some of the funds were diverted to  extraneous matters including media services, opinion polls and personal matters.”

Furthermore, the fact-sheet shows that the Office of the National Security Adviser in a memo on January 12, 2015, requested the former Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to transfer $300million.

The memo said: “Please refer to our meeting on recovered funds.  You are please requested to remit the sum of $300m and £5.5m to the following account being ONSA share as agreed.

Okonjo-Iweala via a memo to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, reportedly requested for the release of $300m from Abacha loot to the former National Security Adviser (NSA), of which only $250million was released.

On January 29, 2015, the ex-President responded to the ex-Minister as follows: “CME/HMF, approved.”

Meanwhile, Okonjo-Iweala had in 2015 insisted that she had no case to answer, saying former President Jonathan set up a Committee comprising of the former Minister of Justice, former NSA and the former Minister of Finance to determine how best to use both the returned  and expected funds for development.