The huge money was allegedly belong to the sacked or retired Managing Director at Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue
Today Emeka Etiaba, the lawyer to Nnamdi-Ogbue, in a statement on Thursday, debunked the report associating his client with the money. The legal representative said the huge money does not belong to Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday raided the apartment located at No 16 Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, where the money in various currencies was recovered.
$43.4m, N23.2m and £27,800 were discovered in fire-proof cabinets in the apartment.
According to the source, the movers of the bags were made to believe they were bringing in bags of clothes. Another source who is conversant with the apartment of interest indicated that a woman usually appears on a different occasion with Ghana-Must-Go bags.
“She comes looking haggard, with dirty clothes but her skin didn’t quite match her outward appearance, perhaps a disguise,” the source said.
On getting to the building, operatives met the entrance door locked. Guards at the gate explained that nobody resides in the apartment, but some persons come in and out once in a while.
EFCC operatives gained entrance into the apartment and huge money were found in two of the four-bedroom apartment. A search of the wardrobe in one of the rooms was found to be warehousing three fireproof cabinets disguisedly hidden behind wooden panels of the wardrobe.
Content of the cabinets were carefully arranged US dollars, British pound sterling, and some naira notes in sealed wrappers.
The huge currencies is definitely a proceed from all kinds of fraud in the state through the former chairman and some political morons
The facility is said to be owned by a former PDP Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu.
Emeka Etiaba, the lawyer to Nnamdi-Ogbue said the money and the apartment where the sums of money were found does not belong to his client Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue.
“Our client is as shocked as many other Nigerians at the uncovering and recovery of the said sums of money and wishes to salute the courage and efforts of the EFCC in the war against corruption.” he said.
“She also wishes to commend the whistle blowing policy introduced by the Federal Government in the fight against corruption which policy has resulted in large scale uncovering and recovery of monies and assets.’’
“It is our client’s belief that the source and ownership of the said uncovered sums of money are known or eventually will be known by the EFCC in due course. There is, therefore, no need for conjecture or speculation,’’ he added,
He advised the media to be more circumspect in their publications.
Online news medium Sahara Reporters had alleged that the apartment belonged to Nnamdi-Ogbue.
A major TWIST in the story today as the NIA (National Intelligence Agency) claims ownership of the huge sum of money. The DG according to a SAHARA Reports said the money was to be used for a covert operation and has been approved by the previous administration.
The whole saga shows that
1). Fraud and corruption can never be eradicated in Nigeria if such an Agency can lie to cover the back of an individual in the country
2). Even CIA, FBI, KGB, MI5 and MI6 will not have such an amount of money in somebody’s apartment for a covert operation. If for covert, why was the money not in a special account (Special Op account)
3) Why was The commander in chief not aware of an operation of that magnitude.
4) Nigeria is a 3rd world nation what kind of covert operation could the NIA be involved in to require such a huge fund.
5) If the woman and her morons can let go of nearly $50m just like that then one wonders how much money they still have stacked away somewhere undiscovered.
6) 1000 Buhari can not stop corruption in Nigeria.