How Ex-NNPC Director is Linked to $9.6 Billion P&ID Scam, Says EFCC
An EFCC witness who also involved in the investigation of the infamous $9.6 billion P$ID scandal has detailed how Grace Taiga is linked to the scam
- Umar Babangida told the court on Thursday that Taiga partook in the scam by participating in meetings, issuing memos and correspondences on for the Ministry of Petroleum resources
- Babangida said that Rilwan Lukman, the then minister of petroleum resources signed the document for the ministry and was witnessed by Taiga
Revelations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have shown how Grace Taiga, aN erstwhile Director of Legal, Ministry of Petroleum Resources is involved in the $9.6 billion scams with Process and Industrial Development (P&ID).
EFCC’s prosecution witness, Umar Babangida told the court on Thursday, March 31, 2022, that Taiga took part in the meetings, gave out memos and signed correspondences on behalf of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources concerning the contract, reports by Nairametrics said.
Source: UGC
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The EFCC is prosecuting Taiga on 13-count amended charges involving money laundering offences.
How Taiga participated in the scam
The EFCC witness, Babangida is also the Head of the Special Investigation Unit of the EFCC in the P&ID scam.
According to the counsel to the EFCC, the documents obtained from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, including minutes of meetings, internal memos and other interactions show that Taiga was actively involved in the meetings, issued memos and signed correspondences on behalf of the ministry.
TheCable reports that the EFCC witness said that the EFCC uncovered that the gas supply and processing agreement was signed between the ministry and the company, P&ID on January 11, 2010, and the MoU was signed on June 22, 2009.
Babangida said that a review of the GSPA indicates that the Nigerian government, was supposed to give the company 150 million standard cubit feet per day of wet gas from OML123 operated by Addax Petroleum under the initial phase.
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Former Petroleum minister 'signed off on the scam', EFCC says
He said that findings show that Rilwan Lukman, the then minister of petroleum resources signed the document for the ministry and was witnessed by Taiga.
The witness stated that Taiga mentioned that the ministry of justice can vouch for her statement which led to the EFCC sending a letter to the ministry to corroborate Taiga’s statement.
The P&ID scandal rocked Nigeria in 2020 as majority of Nigerians feared that a UK court would award critical infrastructure to the firm after a judgement debt accumulated to the $9.6 billion.
The scandal jolted the the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari which accused previous governments of not doing anything to rescue the country from what it termed fraudulent transaction by P$ID.
FIRS official who fraudulently received over N300 million in travel allowance gives up N104m property to court
Legit.ng has reported that Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC), has obtained an interim forfeiture of two properties worth about N104 million to court which belongs to Aminu Sidi Garunbaba who is a staff of the Federal Inland Revenue.
The EFCC, through its lawyer, Ekele Iheanacho brought an application in accordance with Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006.
The presiding judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja division granted the order on Wednesday, February 16, 2022, as he ruled on the application.
Source: Legit.ng
