Reps probe N13bn Osborne Towers recovery by EFCC

The House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved to unravel the mystery surrounding the N13 billion discovered at the Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The House therefore is to set up a Committee to investigate the source of the discovered funds and ascertain the owner(s) of the money.

The House resolution to mandate its Committee on National Intelligence to probe the source of the N13 billion followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Rep. Gabriel Kolawole.

Leading debate on the motion, the lawmaker said the call to unravel the true identity of the owner(s) of the money was based on claims and counter claims as to the true ownership of the funds.

He added that the development was having negative effects on the anti-corruption drive of the federal government.

He said that “there is need for thorough investigation into the matter in order to ascertain the source of the money given the claims on its ownership, purpose and the damaging effects it is having on the Federal Government’s anti-corruption drive.

“Recall that so many people were fingered as the owner(s) of the N13 billion when EFCC discovered the money. The anti-graft agency on the other hand has not named any person as the owner(s).

“While the suspended Director-General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ayodele Oke, had claimed that the money belongs to the agency and was approved by the previous administration for covert operations, the governor of

Rivers state, Nyesom Wike, on the other hand had said that the money belonged to the Rivers State government.
“Wike had told newsmen that investigations by the Rivers State Government revealed that the money was proceeds from the sale of gas turbines by the immediate past governor of the state, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi,” he stated.

It would be recalled that a three man presidential panel headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is currently investigating the matter.