It was revealed yesterday that the 47 Sports Utility Vehicles and 100 motorcycles the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently recovered from a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power were bought for former President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign in the 2015 general election.
The sum of N1.5 billion with which the vehicles were acquired was allegedly sourced from the diverted N27 billion insurance premium of deceased workers of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) according to The Nation.
All the vehicles were said to have been paid for by the former Permanent Secretary, Dr. Godknows Igali, to aid the campaign efforts of the Goodluck/Sambo Campaign Organisation in the build-up to the presidential election.
The EFCC was said to have intercepted the vehicles and motorcycles after an alarm was raised by an artisan. An EFCC source said yesterday that there was “overwhelming evidence” against the former Perm Sec.
Another source, who spoke in confidence, said the 47 vehicles were seized from some secret locations where Igali had kept them. More than 100 motorcycles parked at a facility in Mabushi Area of Abuja were also confiscated by the EFCC.
The confiscated items include SUVs, Toyota Coaster buses, Toyota Hilux trucks and 16-seater buses. The source said: “Igali had allegedly secured the hefty heist in well-guarded premises in an upscale neighbourhood of Abuja.
“But luck ran out on him when an artisan called to fix a faulty utility vehicle became curious over the avalanche of the state of the art vehicles parked in the premises and tipped off the EFCC.
“The commission immediately commenced discreet investigation.
“In the course of investigation, it discovered that all the vehicles were supplied by Dilly Motors at the instance of Igali.”
The source claimed that about N1.5 billion paid for the vehicles was allegedly sourced from the diverted N27 billion insurance premium of deceased workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
The cash was allegedly laundered by Igali through Baseworth Insurance Brokers in order to cover his track.
The source added: “ It was initially difficult to determine the source of the funds with which the vehicles were purchased as it did not come directly from Igali’s account.
“But a breakthrough came as the EFCC stumbled on evidence of a curious payment to Dilly Motors from the account of Baseworth Insurance Brokers Limited, a company that was under investigation in another case of alleged diversion of N27 billion insurance premium of deceased staff of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria.
“In one of the transfers, N300 million was paid to Dilly Moors from the account of Baseworth Insurance Brokers.
“Operatives of the Commission were curious to determine the service which Dilly Motors rendered to Baseworth Insurance Brokers to warrant payment.
“Dilly Motors, on interrogation, allegedly admitted that the N300 million was part of the N1.5 billion paid by Igali for the purchase of vehicles for the Goodluck/Sambo Campaign Organisation to prosecute the 2015 general election.
“Igali was earlier this year arrested by the Commission and made a statement after which he was released on administrative bail.”
At press time, it was learnt that the EFCC was finalising plans to arraign Igali in court.
A top EFCC source said: “We have substantial evidence against Igali. He is going to face trial any moment from now.
“In profiling Igali, our detectives discovered that he is a kinsman of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and he assisted the Gooodluck/Sambo Campaign Organisation with vehicles by diverting public funds for such illegality.
“Actually, Igali had made useful statement and our detectives have spent the last five to six months to conduct diligent investigation.
“There is a prima facie case against him. It is left for the ex-Permanent Secretary to prove his innocence in court.”
