Bundles of mint-fresh dollars, valued at over $250,000 (about N40 million), which reportedly disappeared late last month from Governor Godswill Akpabio’s bedroom at the Akwa Ibom state governor’s lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, have been recovered intact.
News website, SaharaReporters, had last month reported that the missing dollars, kept in drawers in the governor’s bedroom, were stolen while he was away dinning with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Aso Rock Villa a fortnight ago.
But PREMIUM TIMES has now learnt that the missing money was recovered a week after it disappeared.
It was found by an electrician invited to carry out minor repairs on one of the air conditioners inside the governor’s bedroom at the lodge.
Mr. Akpabio, who is well known for his profligacy with state funds, had reportedly ordered the dismissal of three stewards working at the lodge, suspecting they stole the funds.
However, unknown to the governor, the trio knew nothing about the missing money.
The culprit, a senior Akwa Ibom officials close to the governor said, was actually one of the drivers attached to the office of the governor’s Special Representative in Abuja, who is the caretaker of the lodge.
The driver reportedly sneaked into the governor’s room and removed the dollars from where they were kept. But because of the security around that section of the lodge, he cleverly tucked them inside the compartment of the air conditioner until a more convenient time he would be able to smuggle his fortune out.
Officials, who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES, said a week after the money was declared missing, it was observed that one of the air conditioners in the governor’s bedroom malfunctioned.
The driver plotting to steal money was, ironically, detailed to fetch an electrician to fix the failing AC ahead of the governor’s next visit. The electrician was called in as he had handled similar repairs in the past at the lodge.
On their way to the lodge, according to officials, the driver confessed to the technician how he had left “something” valuable inside the air conditioner, and which he expected him to retrieve for him, promising a huge reward if he did so successfully.
However, because of the extra security arrangement in place around the lodge following the incident, it was learnt that it proved difficult for the electrician to deliver on his promise, as one of the security operatives working at the lodge was promptly detailed to supervise the repairs.
On opening the air conditioner for repairs, the electrician was reportedly surprised that true to the driver’s earlier hint, there was a carefully wrapped parcel inside the appliance, preventing the system from functioning normally.
The electrician was said to have promptly alerted the security operative detailed to work with him about his find; and on opening the parcel, it was discovered that bundles of the missing money were actually inside.
Afraid he might be held as suspect in the incident, the electrician reportedly confessed to the operative about the favour the driver had sought from him on their way to the lodge.
The money was promptly handed over to the governor’s aide, who on breaking the good news to the governor, was ordered to give the electrician N1million cash as reward, while the dismissed stewards should be recalled immediately, although they were redeployed to other assignments.
The fate of the driver remained unclear at the time of the report.
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SEE how our GOVERNORS are SQUANDERING state FUNDS. What on EARTH is AKPABIO doing with #40m CASH?
ReplyDeleteI think I'll reconsider my view of not wanting to be a POLITICIAN. Come 2019 by GOD'S GRACE I'll be in POLITICS with PDP. Hahahaha!
Akpabio THIEF. What is he doing with s250,000 cash?
ReplyDeleteWhere is EFCC? Or this governor is not in the list of those to be EFCC'd.
ReplyDeleteDis gud news hv exposed d Governor real bad. Wot is he doing with such huge amount of mooney. Thief 0le. 2015 na do or die. Nobody will stop me
ReplyDeleteI think, this needs to be investigate. Cashless society is for the poor not for the pdp. Efcc acts fast
ReplyDeleteThis is ridiculous!! Isn't it time this man (Akpabio) is investigated? even that he is the President's best friend.
ReplyDeleteLet's see how EFCC will handle this issue. The central bank too should see how government officials are really to be watched if this cashless policy thing will make any success. Nigerian laws are for the poor masses not the rich privileged elites.
ReplyDeletefor a similar case that formal bayelsa state governor was arrested in the uk. money laundary. that money if invested can make a better for over 50 unemployed graduates.
ReplyDeleteBefore I make any comment, Confirm to me the possibility of concealing huge amount of money in Ac split unit. How is it possible for the driver to do such neat job with all the security detail around? How many AC's are in the room? Since the report said one of the Ac's in the governors room. Reply urgently
ReplyDeleteThis is Nigeria problem "No journalist will bold enough to interview him on how come such hug amount of cash is in his possession .and how come him having that large foreign currency .,if that could be in the lodge were he just come once a while I wonder what will be in his divers houses ,bank account and foreign bank account ........Poor Nigeria .
ReplyDeleteThat's money laundering
ReplyDeleteWhoa! Fresh mint dollar bundles? $250,000? Money laundering! I hope we have not heard the last of this.
ReplyDeleteAPABIO,U COMIT#LAUNDRY WITH AMERICAN PROPERTY.GOOD THING ABOUT AMERICA,U'LL NEVER GO SCOTH FREE.U'LL BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF NIG PRISONER ASS IN U.S. AFTER IBORI
ReplyDeleteUna no go scatter person head with vocabulary o! Is Akpabio a LAUNDRY MAN or what?
Delete