The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Monday, raided the Abuja office of the former Vice President, Namadi Sambo and seized $50,000 found in his safe.
The raid was carried out on the building which houses a top European High Commission’s Visa Processing Centre opposite the National Defence College, Abuja.
A source revealed that the operatives broke into the Safe kept by the former vice president and removed whatever valuable they found, including top branded wrist watches, assets declaration forms, and list of landed property.
The raid, it was learnt followed the discovery that one of Sambo’s aide, known as Daboh, was found to have collected the sum of N25 million from the embattled National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisah Metuh, as part of the sum he got from the former NSA, Dasuki Sambo.
Although Daboh was arrested on January 11 by the EFCC and later released after taking statement from him, the operatives swooped on the ex-VP’s office on Saturday with the hope of extracting ‘incriminating evidence’.
The raid took place a few days after Sambo had moved some vital documents from his residence to the office in the Central Business District, in many bags, known as “Ghana-Must-Go, which were thought to contain foreign currency.
NigerianEye learnt that the search was informed by the unusual movement of hefty bags into the office of Sambo’s Manyatha Company on Saturday.
Although Sambo has been on EFCC radar over funds allegedly collected from ONSA, the relocation of the suspicious bags from the home of the ex-VP to the office made the EFCC to act swiftly.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The ongoing investigation of $2.1 billion arms cash under ex-NSA Sambo Dasuki has been extended to the former VP. The search started on Saturday till the early hours of Monday.
“Apart from getting N20 million monthly from ONSA, we got tip-off on movement of some bags loaded with hard currency.
“All we did was to investigate this clue by searching the ex-VP’s office in a cautious manner and in the full glare of the employees.
“At the appropriate time, we will inform the public of our findings.”
Responding to a question, the highly-placed source added: “We are also looking at the circumstances behind the N20 million grant allocated to the ex-VP’s office by the ONSA.
“Ordinarily, a sitting VP has a budget for his office. It is like subjugating your office to a junior public officer if you have to be taking N20 million from the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA).
“We cannot be blind to this important aspect of monthly grant to a VP by the former security adviser. Some former presidential aides are also under investigation.”
A source close to the former VP confirmed the search of the office in Abuja’s Central Business District (CBD).
The source said: “The EFCC operatives invaded the Manyatha Company of the former Vice President on Saturday, broke the doors. The operatives did not come with any warrant and when they left, there was no record of inventories.
“What happened was that the ex-VP moved some documents in Ghana-Must-Go bags from his house to the office in the Central Business District. I think they got false alarm that dollars were stuffed in the bags and decided to raid the office on the sixth floor.
“We share the same office complex with the British Visa Section. Do you know that since Saturday, the policemen brought by the EFCC are still in the office?
“The EFCC asked the company to repair its doors before the police could leave the place.”
On the alleged N20 million collected monthly from ONSA, the source added: “It is a statutory subvention for the Office of the Vice President. When ex-President Goodluck Jonathan was VP, he was getting it. The same subvention was given to ex-VP Atiku Abubakar.
“Ex-VP Sambo is ready to defend the subvention when necessary. He did not steal public funds and he did not get campaign funds from ONSA.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Did u expect not to find no money with him he's an immediate past president.. .pls effc shld get a life
ReplyDeleteIs there any money that apc is looking for...wht are these harrasements for?
ReplyDeleteNo Efcc expected him not to have landed properties or money with him..meanwhile every Efcc staff prays to buy landed property and prays for financial breakthrough. .are they looking for any money I ask?...is this jealousy or wht?
ReplyDeleteEfcc has left tompolo and are here harrasing big shots in past administration...useless people
ReplyDeleteEfcc has lost focus
ReplyDeletePls wht is watches and landed property to an immediate past vice president pls let's be realistic..the man is probably has his life savings at home or office whey Efcc will not infringe...now it has gotten to the point of breaking private safes, after ur house, pls are this people now criminals or wht?
ReplyDeleteSomeone needs to sue this useless Efcc
ReplyDeleteThis Efcc is making a living by extorting rich nigerians
ReplyDeleteIs sambo under any criminal investigation or wht?
ReplyDeleteEfcc go search buhari's sons and u'll see more money...pls who's deceiving who, how many times has ibb, or tinubu, ameachi house or office bn searched.. or even tompolo, Efcc only prey on the weak and non apc members. It's very clear
ReplyDeleteEFCC has CID that gives them information and act when its needed.
ReplyDeleteEverybody is a thief. But when it become too much and harmful to other people, it is robbery and must be deal with.
Any Nigerian that is not happy with the way they are living should support the present government except those that benefited from the looting of our treasury.
Also, the present government is not perfect too. They will makes a lot of mistake but they deserve our support.
Why did they not call this man first for queries? Breaking doors, breaking safes... God help us
ReplyDeleteThis is too confronting!!! A mockery of Democracy.I don't think Buhari believes he will leave this office one day??? He is setting dangerous precedence for the future. Well, as events are unfolding...
ReplyDeleteGrievances of the highest order support my foot
ReplyDeleteFighting corruption by a corrupt commission will only result in calamity. I think this is an act of robbery by the EFCC. It has become opportunity to loot nationals, since they know if it goes to their personal accounts they will be questioned so they have resulted in armed robbery. It is only robbers that breaks doors to gain entrance into another person's property and also break saves.
ReplyDeleteY'all should think before talking. This is the media for crying out loud. How authentic is this information? What if it's just an opposing party fabricating this story to taint the credibility of the efcc? What if the story is true but has been a little altered? Being neutral is the best.
ReplyDeleteWhat are all these foolish comments I am reading above? Who are these people? Even if they pay you peanut to come to the internet and defend them, can't you use your brain? So because you are VP, you should be the richest man in Nigeria or you should not be arrested or investigated when there is a case pointing at you. Is it lawful to keep hard currency in your house. Is your safe bank? Why are Nigerians this dumb and foolish, it's so pathetic. The thing is that is why Nigeria is where she is. People don't use their brain especially when they have they have been given peanut through the party they support. Moderator I think its time you delete comments they are so shallow and infesting from here. We new people who understand the state and damage done to this country. People who can contribute intelligently, people who want us to move forward... In summary, EFCC and Bihari you are doing a great job, CATCH THEM ALL...
ReplyDeleteWhat a waste of mb....all this long thrash you wrote means nothing....great job by breaking safes and doors???are they now armed robbers...please say something else or u shut up....
DeleteEnter your comment... wht d apc led federal govt is looking 4, one day, they will get it. pple ar dieing in their numbers in hands of boko haram, d issue of chibok gals has been neglected, d value of naira is going down and yet buhari is feels unperturbed rather he has dcided to witch hunt members of pdp with impunity. folks, is it fair?
ReplyDeleteThe same retarded Anonymous posing the same stupid message over and over again. Opinions may differ, but when it comes to corruption, we should stand up with one voice. I care less if EFCC slaps the looters to death, they stole and they must be dealth with, be it yoruba, Hausa or Igbo.
ReplyDeleteIdiot La! If U get CHANCE U go loot pass ABACHA. MUMU Hausa-Fulani LA!
DeleteEl weere, we dont even knw who u really are maybe monkey like them
Deletepls we Nigerians will love to see the list of all other state governors amoung the list people like ameachi
ReplyDeleteWhy some people are so stupid maybe u want to live ur life in poverty. Pls EFCC check there children account maybe u will get somthing there
ReplyDeletePray to make money one day....dats all I can tell you...
DeleteAny Nigerian still purchasing Nollywood movies doesn't really know where the fun is,just reading the post here is more than fun.Shame same Nigerians doesn't even know what the last pdp administration did to them or they are too blind and stupid to acknowledge the sadness they left the country in
ReplyDeleteyou cant violently break into someones property and his personal safe without any warrant. lets build this democracy by respecting rule of law, else you succeed partially in fighting corruption and then you will kill the whole country by desecrating its law. lets be wise.
ReplyDeleteif the aide was traced to corruption, there is no right the efcc has to pounce on the boss of the aide and more without warrant, no prior invitations, no disobedience to require such force.
What do you think the UK people who has an office there will think of Nigerians and the present government. lets be wise
That someone moved his properties from his house to his office is not and never will become a crime.
The excesses of this EFCC must be curbed else after the mad dog finishes biting strangers, it turns and bites the owners, the hands that feed it...lets be wise and build this democracy. other nations that are enjoying theirs didnt build it thus.
Lets be wise!
Efcc can be a joke!! This is hilarious what do they expect to find there ?empty safe abi in a former vice president house. If your papa na ex vice president 20 years ago and him safe for house empty u no go curse am. Foolish people
ReplyDelete