The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen; the governor of Ekiti, Ayodele Fayose; the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi; and the immediate past Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, are among high-profile personalities currently under its investigation, Punch reports.

The report:

• The names are contained in the list of high-profile cases involving over 100 politically-exposed persons and top-ranking public officers still being investigated by the EFCC as of August 2017.
• The list was recently sent by the anti-graft agency to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), based on a request.
• “The list was actually sent in August to the then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and copied the AGF,” another EFCC source said on Tuesday.
• The list, sighted earlier on Monday, listed 106 cases under investigation and several others pending in court but either stalled or moving slowly.
• Sources of such information for the cases were listed against each of the cases. They include intelligence, whistleblowers and petitions from government agencies and private citizens.
• Among other notable names on the list are the incumbent Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, and his predecessor, Captain Idris Wada.
• Other former governors on the list include Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, who is currently the Senate’s Minority Leader; Jonah Jang of Plateau State, currently serving as Senator representing Plateau North; Ali Modu Sherriff of Borno State, who recently had a controversial stint as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party; and Chief Lucky Igbinedion of Edo State.
• Also listed are the names of Dame Patience Jonathan, the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan; and some ministers who served under the Jonathan administration.
• Apart from Okonjo-Iweala, former ministers on the list include the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke; the immediate past Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN); a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed; ex-Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah, who is currently the Senator representing Anambra North; and a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe. Alison-Madueke’s husband’s name, Rear Admiral Alison Madueke (retd.), was also listed.
• Also sighted on the list are the names of two men who simultaneously served as media aides to Jonathan – ex-Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, and a former Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe.
• Other prominent high-profile persons on the list are a former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi Dikko; a former acting Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus; Col. Bello Fadile (retd.), who served under the immediate past National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki; the incoming Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdu Kafarati; and Justice Mohammed Tsamiya, who was recently retired compulsorily by the National Judicial Council.
• The EFCC stated in the document that it was investigating the CJN based on intelligence referred to it on October 12, 2016.
• The document indicated that the commission was investigating Okonjo-Iweala based on a petition referred to it on January 28, 2016.
• For Fayose’s case, the commission said it received a petition against the governor on August 13, 2016, but the investigation had been stalled due to alleged lack of cooperation from the Ekiti State Government officials.
• The commission stated similarly that the case against Akpabio was referred to it on May 10, 2016, but had been stalled due to an injunction granted by a High Court of Akwa Ibom State stopping the probe.
• It stated that the cases against Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and his predecessor, Capt. Idris Wada was referred to the EFCC on September 29, 2016, and April 16, 2016, respectively.
• The case against Patience Jonathan alongside Ariwabu Aruera Reachout Foundation was said to have been referred to the commission on September 26, 2016, while that of Oduah was on April 5, 2016.
• The case against Sherriff was said to have been informed by an intelligence report referred to the commission on October 10, 2016.
• The commission stated that Diezani’s case was referred to it on June 20, 2016, while it received that of her husband on January 14, 2016.
• It stated that investigation into Orubebe’s case, referred to it in 2013, had been stalled due to lack of cooperation from the Ministry of Niger Delta.
• The case involving Justice Tsamiya was said to have been referred to the commission on October 17, 2016, while the case file of Justice Kafarati was said to be with the commission’s acting chairman.
• The document indicated that the cases against Abati and Okupe were referred to the commission sometime in December 2015.
• The file of the former Customs boss, Dikko, was said to have been referred to the EFCC on February 20, 2017.

Omoleye Omoruyi

Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram