[attachimg=1] THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has preferred a case against 32 staff members of the Pensions Department of the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation of Nigeria for allegedly defrauding the Pension office to the tune of N12 billion.
A press statement from the Commission yesterday said the accused, including Dr. Sani Teidi Shuaibu, Mrs. Phina Ukamaka Chidi, Aliyu Bello and 29 others, would soon be arraigned on a 134-count charge.
Dr. Suleiman T. Shuaibu was the Director, Pension Administration in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, while Mrs. Phina Ukamaka Chidi was the Deputy Director (Finance and Accounts), in the office. Aliyu Bello was a Personal Assistant to Dr. Shuaibu.
Other accused persons and organisations are Garba Abdullahi Tahir, Mohammed Katun Ahmed, Emmanuel Olanipekun, Abdullahi Omeiza, Computer Plaza, Essential Gadget Ventures, Mobis Point Investment Ltd, Obista Enterprises, Shallow Well Ventures, Mof Investment Ltd, Zumba Resources, Pam Investment and Properties Ltd,Moshfad Enterprises, Newgate Projects Ltd, RedWings Energy Ltd, RedWing Procurement Services Ltd, Woodland Industries Nig. Ltd.
Also, Nwab Tessy O. Enterprises Nigeria, Chris J. Junior Ventures, Uthaka Nigeria Ltd, Bashinta Nigeria Ltd, Haleath Enterprises, Gozinda Enterprises, Omozua Ventures, S.S. Badejo Enterprises, Lopee Ventures, Fafama Oil and Gas Ltd, Fafama Estate Developer Limited and Riba-Ile Petroleum Limited have been accused.
"Investigation shows that they used ghost pensioners to pay N2 million and N3 million into their accounts monthly, and later diverted the sum by awarding fictitious contracts to the above companies which they manage", the statement read.
The Commission's charge came under charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/28/2011, dated March 21, 2011 and the accused were alleged to have used various fictitious companies to divert the sum of N12 billion into private use. The Commission said it had frozen N12 billion in three accounts allegedly operated by the two directors following a fresh discovery by its team of investigators.
The team had since 2010, been probing alleged massive pension fraud in the Pension Unit of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service.
"Count one of the 134-count charge reads: "That you Dr. Shuaibu Sani Teidi, Phina Ukamaka Chidi, Computer Plaza, Essential Gadget Ventures, Mobis Point Investment Ltd, Obista Enterprises, Shallow Well Ventures at various times, between 2008 and 2010 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired among yourself to induce the pension department, office of the head of service of the federation of Nigeria, to deliver to you, various sums in the aggregate of N176, 910, 650.00 property vide the medium of a contract induced by false pretences, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and Punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud Related Offences Act 2006".
Source: EFCC charges Shuaibu, 31 others over N12b pension fraud (http://ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=42490:efcc-charges-shuaibu-31-others-over-n12b-pension-fraud-&catid=1:national&Itemid=559)