Refund N520m to Avoid Trial – EFCC Tells Ex-SGF Anyim Pius Anyim

Refund N520m to Avoid Trial - EFCC Tells Ex-SGF Anyim Pius Anyim
Refund N520m to Avoid Trial – EFCC Tells Ex-SGF Anyim Pius Anyim

Refund N520m to Avoid Trial – EFCC Tells Ex-SGF Anyim Pius Anyim

There are indications that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has given a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Anyim Pius Anyim, the option of returning the sum of N520 million he allegedly collected from a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), or be prosecuted for money laundering.

The former SGF who once held the position of Nigeria’s senate president, was arrested by the EFCC on Friday and remained in detention as at Saturday night. One EFCC source reportedly told newsmen that the anti-graft agency had decided to detain the former SGF until its investigations had reached a logical conclusion.

Anyim joins a long list of former public officials from the past administration led by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan presently under arrest or being prosecuted for receiving monies illegally diverted from the office of the former NSA. Erstwhile PDP spokesman, Chief Olisa Metuh and presidential campaign spokesman, Femi Fani-Kayode are just two of many presently on trial.

Anyim collected N520m from Dasuki on the eve of the presidential election in March, 2015. We have asked him to return the money. That is our primary goal. Let him tell us how he intends to pay back,” the source said.

It was similarly revealed on Saturday that the EFCC had invited the directors of companies awarded contracts by the SGF’s office while Anyim occupied the position, ostensibly for the diversion of the ecological funds.

The companies include Foundation Years Limited, Precious Integrated, Precious Petroleum, Mak & Mak, Chap Construction, Eldyke Engineering, Pryke Limited, Chipa Nigeria Limited, Prima A11 Limited, Pima International, Chanto Engineering, Ishiagu Microfinance Bank, Mulak Ventures, Vitro Engineering and Tip Top Nigeria.

Anyim was SGF from May 2011 to May 29, 2015. During this period, specifically May 2012 to May 2015, the SGF Ecological Fund Account with the Central Bank of Nigeria received an inflow of N58,146,983,677.85.

“From this fund, three of the companies linked to Anyim – Foundation Years, Obis Associate and Eldyke Engineering – received contracts worth over N13bn. Foundation Years alone received a net payment of N10,308,017,838.85 between 2014 and 2015,” the EFCC source explained.

The companies linked to Anyim were said to have subsequently made several transfers to about 37 entities with no connection to the ecological fund. According to the Punch, operatives of the EFCC are now probing the various transfers.

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