N1.2bn NEXIM Bank fraud: EFCC launches fresh probe of Sen Nwaoboshi

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is to launch a fresh probe against Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, over his alleged involvement in the diversion of about N1.2Bn facility loan granted to him in 2014 by NEXIM Bank under the Local Industrial Growth Scheme.

A top anonymous source who confided in the Daily Times revealed that the money was approved for senator Nwaoboshi who is representing Delta North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, when he was a member of the bank Board of Directors.

According to the source, the money was meant for the purchase of equipment and electrical materials but the senator allegedly diverted part of the funds to acquire properties in Lagos.

The source said, “Criminal diversion is a serious offence and NEXIM Bank may have to report him to the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“As Director of the bank, the circumstance of the award of the loan is one that raises fundamental conflict of interest and corporate governance issues”.

This is even as a document from the Nigeria Customs Service sighted by this reporter confirmed allegation that the senator supplied refurbished Trucks to the Delta State Government as brand new vehicles.

Meanwhile, Nwaoboshi who has failed to respond to several invitation by the Commission after a request was said to have been sent to the Clerk of the National Assembly to release him for interrogation, is battling to stop the Commission from moving to secure the final forfeiture of his property.

He had filed two actions before the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court and a Federal High court in Asaba, praying the court to vacate the forfeiture order of Justice Abdulaziz Anka.

Though the Federal High Court Asaba had refused to grant the ex-parte application, further hearing is slated for October 3, 4 and 5, 2017.

A Federal High Court in Lagos had in April ordered the temporary forfeiture of a 12-storeyed building belonging to the senator over an alleged contract scam of N1.5bn.

The said building which the court ordered Nwaoboshi to forfeit to the Federal Government is located at 27, Marine Road, Apapa.

Justice Anka made the forfeiture order after entertaining an ex parte application brought before him by the EFCC
Joined with Nwaoboshi in the application were his two companies – Golden Touch Construction Project Limited, and Bilderberg Enterprises Limited.

The EFCC told the judge that Nwaoboshi, through his company, Bilderberg Enterprises Limited, got a N1.580bn contract to supply some construction equipment to the Delta State Direct Labour Agency sometime in 2010.

The anti-graft agency, however, claimed that Nwaoboshi’s company supplied second-hand equipment to the agency while he actually collected money to supply new equipment, thereby short-changing the agency.

The EFCC claimed that Nwaoboshi later used the proceeds of the alleged scam to bid for and purchase the 12-storeyed building, formerly known as Guinea House, for N805m in the name of his company, Golden Touch Construction Project Limited.

The senator is also alleged to have forged assets declaration documents before the Code of Conduct Bureau, where he concealed 46 different accounts to which he is a signatory.