THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said it has so far recovered about N5 billion from persons and organisations indicted in the fuel subsidy probe which began over two years ago in 2012.
Spokesman to the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren said in a statement Monday that while this amount has been recovered for the government, investigations are still ongoing on the 13 oil subsidy cases that are being prosecuted. These cases, according to him, involves individuals as well as companies.
“Investigation and prosecution of fuel subsidy cases have not been too easy for us but we are resolute in our determination to ensure that we push all those cases to logical conclusion”, he said.
While underlining the importance the Commission places on transparency and corruption issues in the oil sector, Uwujaren noted that the Commission presently has a full fledged section charged with investigation of oil subsidy matters and other extractive industries issues.
It would be recalled that chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Lamorde disclosed recently that about N4.3 billion had been recovered from suspects involved in the petroleum subsidy scam as at April this year. He had used the opportunity to call for a sustained partnership between the EFCC and the PPPRA in order to sanitize the petroleum industry as the commission will regularly need information and documents from the PPPRA. Also, the EFCC will need staff of the petroleum pricing agency to testify in court or provide evidence for the prosecution of those involved in subsidy scam from time to time.
Aside from sons of prominent Nigerians, Mahmud Tukur and Abdulahi Alao, who are indicted in the multi billion naira subsidy scam, it would be recalled that those alleged to have scammed the federal government through the oil subsidy window also include Ochonogor Alex and Eterna Plc. The four were alleged to have fraudulently obtained N1.8billion from the Federal government through the Petroleum Support Fund. They were subsequently arraigned by the EFCC on a 9-count charge for offences that bordered on obtaining money through false pretence and forgery, contrary to section 468 of the Criminal Code.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had on Thursday, March 14, 2013 re-arraigned Abdullahi Alao and Axenergy Limited before Justice Adebisi Akinlade of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, on a 7-count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences contrary to Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006. The defendant and his company allegedly obtained the sum of N2.6 billion being payments obtained from the Petroleum Support Fund for the purported importation of 33.3 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.
