Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) detectives yesterday detained former Finance Minister Mrs.
Nenadi Usman.
The EFCC is probing her role in
how billions was withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and paid into
the accounts of six chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the
Goodluck Support Group (GSG).
She allegedly owns an account,
titled “Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited” in which a substantial part of
the funds was lodged. Cash was disbursed to party chieftains from the account,
according to investigators.
Besides Mrs Usman, other
suspected beneficiaries of the “bazaar” include former Aviation Minister Femi
Fani-Kayode; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Social
Democratic Party (SDP) leader Chief Olu Falae; former Imo State Governor Achike
Udenwa; former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Viola Onwuliri and
Okey Ezenwa.
There were strong indications
last night that all those who got the slush funds might be picked up by the
anti-graft agency.
“We may relocate her to Abuja but
for now, she has been detained in Lagos. She was said to have received the sum
of N2.5 billion out of the over N4 billion which was transferred out of
Central Bank of Nigeria into various individuals and company’s accounts. In
addition, the sum of N140 million cash was allegedly paid into her Zenith
Bank Account in January 2015. Some of these funds are said to have been traced
to her personal account and her company’s account which she used to acquire
properties in Abuja,” the agency said.