N162m ONSA cash: EFCC summons Doyin Okupe ahead of arraignment

•Ex-presidential spokesman says anti-graft agency accused him of cyber crime

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has invited Dr. Doyin Okupe, a former senior Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for documentation ahead of his arraignment in court.

He is to face trial for alleged N162million illicit payments to him and his companies by a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and Chanchaga Local Government Area in Niger State.

Okupe has been on bail after he was initially interrogated on June 22, 2016.

But necessary processes for his arraignment in court, including filing of charges, were perfected on Friday.

Okupe, in a series of tweets yesterday, said a team of EFCC officials stormed his Ilupeju, Lagos residence “asking me to follow them. No letter. No letter of IV no warrant.”

He added: “The men from EFCC left my house finally after I promised them that I will be in their office on Monday.

“The officers finally agreed to leave on d promise I will see them Monday. Offence. CYBER CRIME.”

However, a top source in EFCC said: “Our operatives were in his house to invite him for interaction on Monday in preparation for his arraignment for alleged N162million fraud.

“The charges against him are ready but he needs to come around to our office and it is from here we will take him to court for trial.”

Giving an insight into the allegations against Okupe, the source said: “Investigation confirmed that he received illicit payments from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki as well as strange payments to his companies by a council in Niger State.

“He was quizzed over N50million which he collected in cash from the former NSA without record or accountability.

“Another company that is linked to Okupe, Abraham Telecoms Limited allegedly received N35.5million from the NSA through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“Also, one of his companies, Romic Soil Fix International Limited received N63million from Chanchaga Local Government council of Niger State and another N13.5m from the same council, for unknown reasons.

“The payments from Chanchaga LG to Romic were made on 21st of November, 2014 during the PDP primary election and 13th February 2015, just before the general election.”

But Okupe said the funds collected from ONSA followed a presidential directive by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

He had said: “The initial N50m was approved by the President to be paid to me from his security vote. N10m was to furnish my rented living apartment and another N10m for my office. The balance N30m was approved as takeoff grant.

“The N10m I received from the ONSA monthly was to run my office, pay salaries of staffs, including overheads, pay expenses for our numerous press conferences, pay for publications in newspapers, magazines, local and foreign, television programs, bulletins, and media consultants who assist and facilitate our work. I had about 23 staff, 11 were graduates out of which five were masters degrees holders.

” The second N50m was approved again by Mr. President when I reported to him that the monthly allowance had been cut from N10m to N5m and that I was no longer in a position to keep running a one hour NTA network program called INSIGHT which was aired 9-10am every Friday.

“We paid NTA about N1.2m monthly for airtime. Two presenters were paid N600, 000 monthly.

“The lead presenter on Insight earned N400, 000 and the second presenter earned N200, 000.

“We paid for tapes and editing per programme. Besides we also pay honorarium for guests either directly or inform of hotel bills for those outside Abuja, or transportation.

“This cost an average of N500, 000 weekly or about N2m monthly. All in all we spent about N4m monthly on the programme.

“Mr. President promised to help with the expenses. About a few months later when we had incurred some debts the NSA sent me this N50m which was to cover the cost of the program for 12 months.

“I am not a thief. I have only two houses in Lagos and in my hometown.

“The monthly allowance was not my salary. It was meant to be used to run the office. 40% went on salaries.

“Salary sheets with names and offices of employees were submitted to EFCC. I was paid a salary of N853, 000 per month through the office of the SGF.”

On the N76.5m contracts awarded to his firm, Romix Soilfix, by Chanchaga LGA of Niger State, he said the firm was “one of the over 20 construction companies who were duly awarded contracts for rural roads some five years ago by the Niger State Government.”

He said the jobs were delayed because of irregular payment to contractors by the council.

He added:  “The job is still ongoing. The relationship of this to my service as senior special assistant to President is still not clear.”

Osinbajo flags off door-to-door campaign in Lagos

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday flagged off a door -to- door campaign for President Muhammadu Buhari in Lagos.

He said the difference between Buhari and other candidates in the 2019 elections is the president will not steal or allow stealing of public funds.

Osinbajo said some leaders who would steal while others will  use the country’s money for the common good, noting that Buhari belongs to the latter category.

“We should not allow those who have stolen our money in the past to come back. They stole all the money and they want to come back. People are saying, enough is enough,” he said.

“In four years, PDP spent $383 billion. And they want to come back. 16 years is enough.

“After 16 years of ensuring that the country did not make progress, they want to come back. They will never come back,” he said.

Osinbajo said that Nigeria’s greatest problem was corruption and not planning because without money you could not executive any plan; hence the need to stop those who had stolen in the past from returning.

The vice president said the door-to-door campaign was more effective in reaching out to the people, saying it goes a long way in speaking directly to the people about the plans of the government for the people.

Director-General of the Prof Yemi Osinbajo Support Group, Pastor Yomi Kasali, said the organisation had raised 900,000 canvassers for Lagos State.

He explained that each canvasser was expected to meet with 50 people.

The vice president visited some parts of Sogunro community, Ogba , Ikeja to seek support directly from voters in their homes.