The suspicious N2.5 billion uncovered in a bank account
opened in the name of a housemaid earlier announced this morning has been
linked strongly to a People's Democratic Party chieftain and lawmaker, Stella
Oduah.
Unconfirmed reports from controversial online newspaper
based in New York, U.S; Sahara Reporters has linked a former Minister of
Aviation, Stella Oduah to the suspected slush funds in the tune of N2.5 billion
found in her housemaid's bank account after reportedly fleecing the state.
This was disclosed by two agents of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under the condition of anonymity. According
to the sources, the bank account and its huge deposits had been opened and
operated without the knowledge of the former minister’s housemaid.
“Senator Oduah apparently opened the account with her
housemaid’s name, image, and details without the housemaid knowing about it,”
said one EFCC agent familiar with the scandal.
Another EFCC source told the online news platform that
Ms. Oduah had been going around to some top officials of the Muhammadu Buhari
administration seeking their help to scuttle her impending trial. Last week,
she asked for a meeting with EFCC chairman Ibrahim Magu, claiming she wanted to
meet in her official capacity as a senator.
The two EFCC sources who briefed the correspondent on the
“housemaid” account disclosed that Ms. Oduah was the sole signatory to the
account, adding that they were still connecting the dots to uncover how the
ex-Aviation Minister managed to pull off such a money laundering operation.
“As of last week, the account was still active and
contained over N2.5 billion,” said one EFCC source. He added that he could not
ascertain whether the EFCC chairman, who is currently traveling in Saudi Arabia
for lesser hajj, had ordered the freezing of the account.
One of our EFCC sources revealed that the discovery of
the “maid” account meant that the former minister must have stolen as much as
N5.6 billion so far from the Aviation Ministry’s funds during her ministerial
term.
SaharaReporters had revealed in earlier reports that EFCC
investigators had so far determined that Ms. Oduah split N3.6 billion that she
acquired illegally among eight companies.
Stella Oduah is yet to respond to the grave allegations
against her which has gone viral on the online and social media space in
Nigeria.
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