The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered
NN10,061,172,600 from the National Broadcasting Commission(NBC) being
alleged inflation of collateral funds meant for Digital Set-Top -Boxes.
The commission is set to prosecute a former Director-General of NBC, Mr. Emeka Mba and three others.
Also to face trial is the NBC’s
Director of Finance, Mr. Patrick Areh, who received a curious transfer
of N390million and another N20million cash gift from the contract sum.
Others are the Managing Director,
Technology Advisor, Mr. Basil Udotai, and the Managing Director of
In-View Technology Limited and D-Vine Partners Limited, Mr. Babatunji
Amure.
According to EFCC’s investigation, NBC
under Mba defied the Federal Government’s directive of August 7, 2015
on Treasury Single Account (TSA) to divert N15,038,400,000, out of
N34,114,500,000 received from MTN for Spectrum Band Width, to finance
the contract for the Digital Set-Top -Boxes.
Out of the diverted N15,038,400,000 as
collateral security to Zenith Bank Plc, EFCC investigators discovered
that only N4,977,227,400 was needed.
The commission said “only eight (8) out
of the 12 companies opened letter of credit amounting to
N3,739,727,400.00 while the sum of N1,237,400,000 was for the Digital
Access Fees making a total of N4,977,227,400.”
The EFCC said after a reconciliation
meeting with the Ministry of Information and Zenith Bank Plc, it was
“agreed that N10,061,172,600 was in excess and should be recovered by
the EFCC.”
Mba and others will face trial for
non-compliance with the Federal Government’s directive on TSA, abuse of
the Procurement Law, and award of contracts beyond the N50million
spending limit of the DG of NBC.
A document obtained last night reads in
part: “Sometimes in 2015, the Federal Government through the Office of
the Head of Service issued a circular dated 7/8/2015 directing all
government parastatals and agencies to mop up all government funds in
commercial banks to Treasury Single Account( TSA) with CBN.
“However the NBC in a flagrant
disobedience to the directives of the government diverted the funds in
its accounts to some companies.
“That on 28/7/15, the NBC received an
inflow of N34,114,500,000 (Thirty four billion, one hundred and fourteen
million, five hundred thousand Naira) from the MTN Operations Account
being proceed of lease of Spectrum Band Width licensed to MTN by the
commission.
“That while the funds were in the
account of NBC, the FG issued a circular dated 07/08/2015 to the effect
that all government agencies and parastatals should mop up and move all
the funds in their accounts to Treasury Single Account (TSA) with the
CBN. This directive was to both the agencies and the banks that
maintained those accounts.
“That despite the directives, the DG
National Broadcasting Commission and the bank in a flagrant disobedience
to the directive transferred the sum of N2,899,500,000 to the account
of Technology Advisor on 12/08/15 and then moved the sum of
N15,038,400,000 in two tranches on 10/09/2015 and 14/09/2015 to Zenith
Bank Plc which he claimed was a collateral security for Set-Top-Boxes
suppliers while the balance of N15,891,625,341.57 was transferred to TSA
in CBN on 15/09/2015.
“That as soon as Technology Advisor
received the funds in its account, he commenced distribution to several
beneficiaries which include N390,000,000 and N20,000,000 paid to the
Director of Finance and Accounts, Mr. Patrick Areh through Kalaz
Ventures Limited, a Bureau De Change operated by Abdullahi Kabiru who
confirmed receiving the funds which he transferred the sum of
N130million to Azuku Global Resources Limited while the balance was
exchanged into dollars and handed over to MD Azuku Global Resources
Limited, one Ibrahim Samaila fir onward transmission to the Director of
Finance and Accounts, Mr. Patrick Areh.
“That Areh confirmed receiving part of
the funds in dollars while the balance of N130million was given to Azuku
Global Resources Limited for the construction of his Radio House at
Onitsha, Anambra State.
“That In-View Technology Ltd was
contracted to provide Digital Access for the Set-Top -Boxes and was paid
N1,237,400,000 out of which the company transferred N20million to
Patrick Areh through Azuku Global Resources
The Nations
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