An officer of the Nigerian Navy, Lt.-Cdr Olumide Adewale,
has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
that he helped his former boss, Senator Musiliu
Obanikoro, to transport money, which was flown to Akure
and later handed over to Abiodun Agbele on the
instructions of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State.
Adewale, who was the Aide-de-Camp to Obanikoro when
the latter was the Minister of State for Defence, said this
on Wednesday when he was grilled by detectives of the
EFCC.
According to the anti-graft agency, the money was part of
the N4.7bn that was paid into Obanikoro’s sons’ company
account, Sylvan McNamara, on the instructions of the
embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo
Dasuki (retd.).
Adewale, who was in charge of Obanikoro’s security for
about a year, told the EFCC that everything he did was
under the strict instructions of his boss.
He told investigators that on June 16, 2014, barely a week
to the Ekiti State governorship election, he, alongside
Obanikoro, departed the ex-minister’s Park View home in
Ikoyi, Lagos, and headed for the Murtala Muhammed
Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
The naval officer told detectives that on getting to the
airport, he met Obanikoro’s son, Gbolahan. He said
Gbolahan and the former minister had a brief meeting
after which a bullion van arrived at the private wing of the
airport.
Adewale told the EFCC operatives that Gbolahan then
directed some men at the airport to offload the money
from the bullion van and load it unto the aircraft.
The entire activity was said to have been captured on
CCTV.
A detective of the anti-graft agency quoted Adewale as
saying, “The flight was delayed for about an hour. Later, a
bullion van pulled into the hangar where the chartered
flight was. Shortly after, Gbolahan ensured that some bags
were offloaded unto the plane. I later boarded the flight
with Obanikoro and his friend, Dr. Tunde Oshinowo (a PDP
chieftain and a mutual friend of Obanikoro and Fayose).”
The EFCC detectives told one of our correspondents that
on getting to the Akure airport, Obanikoro was welcomed
by Mr. Abiodun Agbele, Fayose’s ally, who had since been
arrested by the commission.
Adewale confirmed that Obanikoro was welcomed at the
airport by a politician.
He told investigators that he did not know the name of the
person but could recognise the person.
The naval man was further quoted as saying, “On arrival at
Akure, the minister had a discussion with political friends.
A bullion van was driven to the tarmac. The bags were
offloaded unto the bullion van and the minister directed
that we escort the van to a Zenith Bank branch in Akure.
“On arrival, the bags were offloaded by bank workers
under the supervision of a civilian who had come to meet
the minister at the Akure airport. I don’t know the man
facially but I can recognise him.”
Meanwhile, Fayose has said the EFCC is on a wild goose
chase in Ekiti State.
The governor stated that the anti-corruption commission
had shifted attention to the finances of Ekiti State after
what he claimed to be the failure of the commission to link
him with the diversion of arms funds at the NSA’s office
under Dasuki.
Fayose, who spoke on Orange FM station in Akure, Ondo
State, on Thursday, said the EFCC had started harassing
banks in Ekiti State, seeking for records of government
finances, on allegations that the contractors gave him
(governor) kickbacks.
“They are on vendetta mission. They said I collected
money from Dasuki and I have told them that I did not
collect a dime from Dasuki. I have N300m in my fixed
deposit account in Zenith Bank and I declared it in my
Asset Declaration Form.
“I have challenged them to publish the statement made to
the EFCC by Dasuki where he said he gave Senator Musiliu
Obanikoro money to give me or where Obanikoro himself
said he gave me money.’’
Fayose called for proper restructuring of the country in
line with the report of the 2014 National Conference.
“Nigeria has not been properly structured and that’s why
we are facing all these problems. Remember it was those
in power now that clamoured for restructuring when they
were in opposition. Now that they have the federal powers
and they are using the powers to oppress the people, they
are against the restructuring of Nigeria,” he said.
has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
that he helped his former boss, Senator Musiliu
Obanikoro, to transport money, which was flown to Akure
and later handed over to Abiodun Agbele on the
instructions of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State.
Adewale, who was the Aide-de-Camp to Obanikoro when
the latter was the Minister of State for Defence, said this
on Wednesday when he was grilled by detectives of the
EFCC.
According to the anti-graft agency, the money was part of
the N4.7bn that was paid into Obanikoro’s sons’ company
account, Sylvan McNamara, on the instructions of the
embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo
Dasuki (retd.).
Adewale, who was in charge of Obanikoro’s security for
about a year, told the EFCC that everything he did was
under the strict instructions of his boss.
He told investigators that on June 16, 2014, barely a week
to the Ekiti State governorship election, he, alongside
Obanikoro, departed the ex-minister’s Park View home in
Ikoyi, Lagos, and headed for the Murtala Muhammed
Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
The naval officer told detectives that on getting to the
airport, he met Obanikoro’s son, Gbolahan. He said
Gbolahan and the former minister had a brief meeting
after which a bullion van arrived at the private wing of the
airport.
Adewale told the EFCC operatives that Gbolahan then
directed some men at the airport to offload the money
from the bullion van and load it unto the aircraft.
The entire activity was said to have been captured on
CCTV.
A detective of the anti-graft agency quoted Adewale as
saying, “The flight was delayed for about an hour. Later, a
bullion van pulled into the hangar where the chartered
flight was. Shortly after, Gbolahan ensured that some bags
were offloaded unto the plane. I later boarded the flight
with Obanikoro and his friend, Dr. Tunde Oshinowo (a PDP
chieftain and a mutual friend of Obanikoro and Fayose).”
The EFCC detectives told one of our correspondents that
on getting to the Akure airport, Obanikoro was welcomed
by Mr. Abiodun Agbele, Fayose’s ally, who had since been
arrested by the commission.
Adewale confirmed that Obanikoro was welcomed at the
airport by a politician.
He told investigators that he did not know the name of the
person but could recognise the person.
The naval man was further quoted as saying, “On arrival at
Akure, the minister had a discussion with political friends.
A bullion van was driven to the tarmac. The bags were
offloaded unto the bullion van and the minister directed
that we escort the van to a Zenith Bank branch in Akure.
“On arrival, the bags were offloaded by bank workers
under the supervision of a civilian who had come to meet
the minister at the Akure airport. I don’t know the man
facially but I can recognise him.”
Meanwhile, Fayose has said the EFCC is on a wild goose
chase in Ekiti State.
The governor stated that the anti-corruption commission
had shifted attention to the finances of Ekiti State after
what he claimed to be the failure of the commission to link
him with the diversion of arms funds at the NSA’s office
under Dasuki.
Fayose, who spoke on Orange FM station in Akure, Ondo
State, on Thursday, said the EFCC had started harassing
banks in Ekiti State, seeking for records of government
finances, on allegations that the contractors gave him
(governor) kickbacks.
“They are on vendetta mission. They said I collected
money from Dasuki and I have told them that I did not
collect a dime from Dasuki. I have N300m in my fixed
deposit account in Zenith Bank and I declared it in my
Asset Declaration Form.
“I have challenged them to publish the statement made to
the EFCC by Dasuki where he said he gave Senator Musiliu
Obanikoro money to give me or where Obanikoro himself
said he gave me money.’’
Fayose called for proper restructuring of the country in
line with the report of the 2014 National Conference.
“Nigeria has not been properly structured and that’s why
we are facing all these problems. Remember it was those
in power now that clamoured for restructuring when they
were in opposition. Now that they have the federal powers
and they are using the powers to oppress the people, they
are against the restructuring of Nigeria,” he said.
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