EFCC Probes Pilot Who Flew Fayose’s N1.2 Billion to Akure

EFCC Probes Pilot Who Flew Fayose’s N1.2 Billion to Akure

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has interrogated Captain Ahmed Borodo, the pilot who allegedly flew the plane that conveyed N1.2 billion from a former minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro to  Governor Ayodele Fayose.

According to the EFCC, the money was alleged to be part of the N4.7bn transferred from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser to the bank account of Sylvan McNamara, a company owned by Obanikoro’s two sons.

The Punch newspaper reports that Borodo confirmed he flew the former minister (Obanikoro) on June 17,2014 from Lagos to Akure on a HS-125 aircraft.

The source claimed that the pilot said he even told Obanikoro that  the aircraft was too small and thus could not carry too much weight.

An investigator said,

“The pilot told us that on June 17, 2014, he was instructed by his company around 7am to prepare the aircraft for an 8.30am flight from Lagos to Akure. He was informed that the client was Obanikoro. He said he, along with his colleagues including one Capt. Olubiyi Famuyiwa got on the plane.

“He said Obanikoro’s aides arrived at the tarmac with some bullion vans and started offloading the contents which were in big green tarpaulin bags. He informed them that the aircraft could only carry about eight or nine bags due to its small size.

“The pilot said at that point, Obanikoro intervened and began pleading with him to allow them load all the bags on the plane but he refused and then the minister, his ADC and a friend boarded the plane and the aircraft departed.”

The detective added, “The pilot said on getting to the Akure airport, some soldiers received them and the bags were offloaded and put into a bullion van. He noted that the plane returned empty to Lagos.

“He said that the next day, he returned to Akure and then flew Obanikoro to Abuja with his Aide-de-Camp, Lt. Adewale.”

The commission also claimed to have interrogated the General Manager of the airline, Mr. Jide West, who told the EFCC that Obanikoro paid $25,200 for both flights.