Armsgate: Witness Reveals How Banks Aided Air Force Chiefs to Launder N22.8bn

Ladipo Sanusi/

A detective with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Tosin Owobo, has told a Federal High Court, in Lagos, how three Air Force Chiefs used fake Oil and Gas firms to launder the sum of N5.9 billion.

Owobo is the second prosecution witness in the on-going trial of Air Marshall Adesola Nunayon Amosu, a former Chief Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshal Jacob Bola Adigun, a former Director of Finance and Budgeting of Nigeria Air Force (NAF), and his deputy, Commodore Olugbenga Gbadebo.

He narrated, before Justice Mohammed Idris, how the trio diverted N3billion received from Nigerian Maritime Safety and Administration Agency (NIMASA) and other monies received from different NAF accounts amounting to N5.9 billion for their personal use.

Air Marshal Amosu, Vice Marshall Adigun, and Commodore Gbadebo, alongside eight limited liability companies are being tried over alleged N22.8 billion fraud.

The companies are: Delfina Oil and Gas Limited, Mcallan Oil and Gas Limited, Hebron Housing and Properties Company Limited, Trapezites BDC, Fonds and Pricey Limited, Timsegg Investment Limited and Solomon Health Care.

At the resumed trial, Owobo while being led in evidence by the prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo informed the Court that upon investigation, it was discovered that some of the limited liability companies charged alongside the three officers never dealt in oil and gas business; rather, they dealt in foreign exchange business.

Owobo told the Court that Vice Marshall Adigun and Commodore Gbadebo who were the only signatories to NAF Special Emergency Operation account, received the sum of N3 billion from NIMASA, which were paid in three tranches, between September 15, 23 and 29, 2014.

He said that the transfer of the N3 billion was as a result of approval of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between NIMASA and NAF.

He stated that after each transfer of the first N1 billion on August 28, 2014, upon analyzing the exhibit A3, which contained NAF’s statement of account, it was discovered that on September 2 and 4, 2014, there were various transfers of the money to Right Option Oil and Gas and Judal Oil and Gas Limited.

The amounts were given as N328million, N336million, N165.790million and N170.210million.

He claimed that when the Managing Director of the companies, one Adegbite Adelakun, was invited to explain how they came about the money, he told the Commission that he did not operate Oil and Gas Company but was dealing in foreign exchange business, and that after collecting the money he took the dollars equivalent to the account officer of NAF, who later gave the money to Commodore Gbadebo.

The witness also stated that there was a transfer of the sum of N336million to AAGBS Oil and Gas, but the money was reversed to NAF’s account due to disagreement on exchange rate.

Owobo, who is an investigator with EFCC, said that the second oil and gas company, Delfina Oil and Gas, received the sum of N280.650 million, another N262.416 million and N480.920, while it transferred to McAllan Oil and Gas the sum of N243, 919million, and N114.064million.

He also claimed that from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) documents they received, it was revealed that the companies’ accounts was being operated by one Ayoka Esther and McAllan Adenike, while its accounting officer was Oshinsanmi Olufunke.

The documents also revealed names of the directors as: Jacob Fummi, Jacob Fredrick and Jacob Samuel.

The witness stated that upon further investigation, it was discovered that the same passport photographs were used for the said Ayoka Esther and McAllan Olufunke, and that Adigun admitted to have supplied the photographs and being the only operator of the account.

The witness also stated that between September 23 and 25, 2014, there was total transfer of N976 million from NAF’s account to Labol Oil and Gas Limited.

When interrogated, the MD of Labol Oil and Gas Ltd allegedly denied being into oil and gas business. He said that he was into foreign exchange, and that all the money he changed to US Dollars was given to Adigun and Gbadebo.

The witness stated further that the MD told his team that it was because oil and gas companies get unlimited threshold of amount they could transfer.

Owobo added that apart from money from NIMASA, there was a sum of N1billion from NAF project account which was transferred from NAF headquarters to Skye Bank, and that the money was transferred to Delcon Installer, Namuduka Ventures Limited, Marab General Concept, and 7×7 Limited in the sum of N16.980 million, N120.420 million and N17.2 million, N86 million respectively. While the sum of N23.020 million was withdrawn in favour of Commodore Gbadebo.

The EFCC Witness further stated that on April 22, 2014, the sum of N120 million was paid by NAF Project account and the money was disbursed to Shawai Limited, Hebron Housing and Property Limited, the companies owned by James Bola Adigun. He added that the directors in charge of the company’s account were: Ayoka Esther, Oladele James, and Ann Toluwalope, and that Adigun stated that he used James Oladele to operate Hebron’s account.

Furthermore, the witness stated that other funds from NAF’s Project account at different times were disbursed to Shawai Trading Limited, Adeyinka Amosu, Afuwa Integrated Services. Such disbursements were listed as: N34.460million, N10 million, N10.110million, N15.590million, N37.620million and N39.4million.

He also stated that the sum of N45.6million was transferred to Gbemisola Ventures’ account with FCMB, which has linked with Commodore Gbadebo. He added that all the CAC documents of Gbemisola Ventures’ were filled by Owodunni Olugbenga Gbadebo, who is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer.

From the Exhibit A4, which has been admitted by the Court, the witness said Delfina Oil and Gas Limited, owned by Adigun, received about N10billion from several NAF projects accounts.

He also stated that one Omolara Omolola, identified as the wife of former Chief of Air Force and Director of Solomon Healthcare Services, also received several millions from the NAF special project account which she used in buying equipments.

He also stated that the three defendants diverted several millions through Tripadize BDC who in turn changed the money used in buying the equipment for Solomon Healthcare Services Limited.

The proceedings was, however, brought to a halt, when the lawyers representing the defendants told the Court that they could only respond to the verification of the statements of their clients which were tendered by the prosecutor.

Consequently, Justice Idris adjourned the matter till Wednesday, for continuation of trial.

It would be recalled that the witness, Owobo, had at last adjourned date told the Court, how Air Marshal Amosu, Adigun and Gbadebo diverted the sum of N3 billion, meant for the security of Nigeria’s Maritime, to his personal oil and gas companies.

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