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Former Director-General of NBC, Mr. Emeka Mba who was earlier arrested
is now in more trouble after the EFCC recovered N10 billion stolen from
the government agency.
Former Director-General of NBC, Mr. Emeka Mba
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to
prosecute a former Director-General of NBC, Mr. Emeka Mba and three
others after it recovered NN10,061,172,600 from the National
Broadcasting Commission(NBC) being alleged inflation of collateral funds
meant for Digital Set-Top -Boxes.
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.
EFCC investigation revealed that 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.”
The EFCC has said the people involved in the fraud will face
prosecution. 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.
According to The Nation, 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."
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