The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has finally started barking over an alleged $9 billion power contract scam and it’s the fervent wish of Nigerians who have continued to stay in darkness that the anti-graft body will at least bring those it has traced to the failed power projects to book.
TNG in its tradition of digging deep into matters of this nature has gone deeper to unveiling the men behind the $9billion power projects contract scam.
Reports have it that one of the alleged culprits has been spilling the beans to EFCC on how the loot that has kept Nigeria in darkness was allegedly shared.
This is the first time that EFCC has dared to start arresting those suspected to have oiled their hands with Nigeria’s power money.
The sixth Assembly under the watch of Speaker Dimeji Bankole had instituted a probe on power but was scuttled by a minority report by a dissenting voice among members of the panel.
The Hon Godwin Elumelu led committee had unearthed a lot of shoddy deals in the power sector but the report was carpeted.
Although the power probe started about 10 years ago, this is the first time the anti-graft commission has recorded a breakthrough.
Some of the shock findings by detectives border on the alleged refurbishing of existing transmission lines after the money has been collected for new ones; massive diversion of project funds; outright non-implementation of projects;
The intensity of the probe has made some government officials taking pre-emptive steps to resign or retire.
Some contractors have also volunteered to refund some funds.
See the list of the principal actors behind the alleged scam and their faces:
List:
1. Managing Director of Chris Ejik Nigeria Limited, Christian Imoka
The EFCC is holding the Managing Director of Chris Ejik Nigeria Limited, Christian Imoka, for allegedly failing to execute the power contract despite receiving N500m.
Chris-Ejik, handled Obudu new Sub-Station with 35 % of the job done after being paid N1, 034,292,598.52 and $4,945,087.16. The company complained of Way Leave problem. The same company was said to have collected N500million for Lot Trx (Lekki-Ajah /Ota-Ogba-Papalanto. Nothing was done by our investigation but the onus is on the company to come up with a proof)
2. Pivot Engineering Company Limited, Hiquado Limited
Sources explained that the MD of Pivot Engineering, Mr Richard Ayibiowu, was also arrested and held in custody over opaque and fraudulent compensation payments to some communities. A popular industrialist, Mr Oba Otudeko, is the Chairman of Pivot Engineering.
Pivot Engineering Company Limited, it collected the following: N2, 636,660, 463.21 and $31.518, 868.15(Ihovbo Sub-station; N452, 935,050.58 and $5,588,738.16(Ihiala Line Bay Extension). On Ihovbo projects, out of five lots, it completed four remaining one. But at Ihiala axis, out of three projects, one was about 40% completed, another at 20%completion stages and the third at 0%.
3. Mr. Joseph Arumemi Ikhide
The EFCC this year summoned the Chairman of Rockson Engineering Company Limited, Mr. Joseph Arumemi Ikhide, whose company got about $2billion of the votes for the power project with only about 40per cent job done.
Ikhide has written to the EFCC saying he has a cardiac challenge.
The firm was said to have opened a letter of credit in its name instead of the name of the foreign original equipment manufacturer as was the standard practice.
Arumemi-Ikhide is the MD and Founder of EE. He also serves as the MD of Hansworth Ltd and General Manager of Engineering for Rockson Engineering. In both Hansworth and Rockson Engineering, he is in charge of execution and construction of the 4 NIPP power plant. He claimed to lead the firm to the successful commissioning of the first phase of the 1074MW Alaoji CCGT plant and was said to be progressing the completion of the 225MW Omoku, 225MW Gbarain and 338MW Egbema OCGT also based in FGN.
4. TOP STAFFS OF NDPHC
In the course of the power scam investigation, EFCC detained two senior officials of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company in connection with the ongoing investigation into alleged billions of dollars spent on power sector in the country.
It was gathered that the NDPHC Head of Finance, Mr Marvel Emefiele, and Head of Compensation, Mr Eze Odigbo, were being detained for alleged involvement in bogus payment and diversion of about N850m compensation to communities where the components of the power project were sited.
Emefiele was said to have okayed the payment of the N850m while Odigbo allegedly effected the compensation to the communities.
The two suspects were being questioned over the propriety of the payment.
Findings indicate that approval was granted for the payment of N84bn compensation to the communities where transmission lines of the power project were to be laid, but the EFCC detectives reportedly discovered suspicious payments to the beneficiaries.
“Though about N50bn compensation was said to have been paid to the communities, the contractors were said to have been prevented from doing their work by the communities over non-payment of the same compensation which the NPDHC claimed to have paid,” sources told our correspondent in Abuja on Wednesday.
5. Hiquado Limited:
Hiquado Limited, it executed Ikot Abasi new Sub-Station, Adiabo Sub-Station and Calabar Sub-Station. It got paid as follows: Ikot Abasi( N4,485,695,913.93 and $59,317,649.31) ; Adiabo( N893, 281,533.80 and $7, 811,597.26. The company did well in these two sub-stations. At Ikot Abasi, the company bought materials but could not use because of the existing lines. All the materials will be used.
“But for Calabar EPZ Sub-Station, the completion rate was at 35% because of erosion challenge.
Developing report: Story will be updated