EFCC Strikes Hard, Seizes Ex Chief of Army Staff's N4billion Estate... See Details

An ex Chief of Army Staff has been hit by the iron rod of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as his estate gets seized.

The N4billion estate

 

According to a The Nation report, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has seized an estate, allegedly valued at over N4billion from a former Chief of Army Staff.

 

The estate, which has been placed under Interim Asset Forfeiture, was confiscated on account of the ongoing probe of the ex-Army Chief over $2.1 billion arms deals.

 

Prior to the seizure, the Presidential Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement (CADEP) had traced about N2 billion meant for the purchase of vehicles for the Nigerian Army, to the accounts of five children of the former Army chief.

 

There were indications that the said accounts were yet to be de-frozen at press time.

 

The Presidential Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment, headed by AVM JON Ode, had submitted its third interim report to President Muhammadu Buhari, leading to the shortlisting of the 54 people to be probed.

 

Apart from two ex-Army Chiefs, others recommended for probe are 16 other retired and serving Army officers, 12 serving and retired public officers and 24 Chief Executive Officers of companies involved in the procurement of equipment.

 

According to findings made by our correspondent, the EFCC decided to invoke Interim Asset Forfeiture Clause pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.

 

A search by our correspondent revealed that the estate is sited between Jabi and Life Camp.

 

When our correspondent visited the site at 11am on Friday, the EFCC’s ‘Keep Off’ sign was already pasted on the estate.

 

The anti-graft agency also indicated that the estate was “under investigation.”

 

The estate contains more than 30 duplexes built to taste.

 

A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The ex-Army Chief was referred to the EFCC based on the report of the Presidential Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment, headed by AVM JON Ode.

“We are still investigating the ex-Army Chief and he will soon be interrogated. But in line with our modus operandi, we have been able to trace his suspicious assets which we have attached under Interim Asset Forfeiture.

“In this case of the ex-Chief of Army Staff, his children and friends were used as fronts for money laundering.

“We have traced many suspicious accounts linked with the ex-Army boss. Most of these accounts have been frozen.

“Some of our operatives have been wor