Fresh Documents have shown evidences dirty dealings of a former Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, and how he got enmeshed in a multi-billion money laundering scheme in alleged connivance with Fidelity Bank.
It was reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is still on the trail of a series of evidence linking Chief Willie Obiano to high-profile corrupt practices while he was the state administrator among which is the over N4 billion which the former governor who is in hiding allegedly withdrew from the state treasury within 24 hours.
Sources within the EFCC revealed that the anti-graft commission is now set to unravel the mystery behind the missing money along with others that were not mentioned insisting that the former governor has cases to answer.
You would recall that upon his handover on March 17 2022, Obiano reportedly tried to sneak out of the country with a chartered plane through Asaba Airport, together with his wife, when the EFCC arrested him upon arriving at Murtala Muhammed Airport and detained him for extensive questioning before he was granted bail.
Since being granted bail, there are some reports claiming that the former governor had since relocated his family to Atlanta Georgia where he is said to own a tastefully furnished mansion.
A simple journey down memory lane would reveal Obiano’s relationship with Fidelity Bank having served in the board of the Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe-led financial establishment. Sources within the bank also confided in our correspondent that “should the EFCC decide to order a forensic analysis, on all accounts operated by Anambra state under the watch of the former governor it would wreak of stink as it will be riddled with many discrepancies with Fidelity Bank being culpable too”.
True to our source, documents obtained by online newspaper, Peoples Gazette and seen by Truetells Nigeria exposed how the embattled former governor withdrew N4 billion from the Anambra treasury in 24 hours.
According to the documents showing the bank records, Obiano withdrew a whopping N500 million at eight different times on March 29, 2017 from various Fidelity Bank account numbers 5110032568, 5110032599, 5110032551, 5110032544, 5110032582, 5110032575 with the same account name ‘Anambra State Security Vote’. All funds were withdrawn at Fidelity Bank’s branch at No 5, Akah Street, Umueze Village, Amawbia, Anambra State on the said date in a manner synonymous with money laundering.
Neither the former governor nor his aides have been able to provide requisite explanations as to how the money was utilized when we inquired from them, but we understand that this revelation is also known to the EFCC which is also investigating the matter.
This is a developing story, watch out for another exclusive report that exposes a dozier of what has characterized the tenure of Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe as Fidelity Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on also sealed some property belonging to the immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano.
The commission sealed mansions allegedly traced to Obiano at Ngozika Estate in Awka.
It placed a notice, which reads, “EFCC, Keep Off; Under Investigation” on the wall of an abandoned building traceable to Obiano, a development that followed his release after six days in the commission’s custody.
The EFCC had also seized Obiano’s passport following his arrest at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport on his way to Houston, United States of America, shortly after handing over to his successor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
He was granted administrative bail, but it took another two days to meet the bail conditions, including provision of two directors of Federal Civil Service, who must have landed property in Maitama or Wuse areas of Abuja and a Senator as sureties.
It was learnt that representative of Anambra North Senatorial District, Stella Oduah, was approached to stand surety for the governor ahead of his release.
The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, was quoted as saying that Obiano was arrested for alleged “misappropriation of public funds” including N5 billion Sure-P and N37 billion security votes, which was withdrawn in cash. Part of the funds was also allegedly diverted to finance political activities in the state.
Obiano was placed on the EFCC’s watch list few months before the expiration of his tenure, just as the commission cautioned that the former governor had questions to answer over alleged sleaze while in office.
Soludo was to make matters worse for his predecessor, when he revealed in an interview on Arise Television that Obiano left a debt of N109 billion for the state, and between N300million and N400million cash in the state’s treasury.
