Thisday Boss,Obaigbena Signs Undertaking With EFCC To Return N670Million

The Publisher of ThisDay newspaper and President of the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria, Nduka Obaigbena, has agreed to refund the N670 million he collected from a former National Security Adviser, retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki.

Obaigbena, The Nation newspaper is reporting, was then given two weeks within which to refund the money by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.Obaigbena, who was quizzed by the EFCC over the money, was released to go home on Wednesday.He reported at the headquarters of the Commission in Abuja on Tuesday.Obaigbena, before he reported at the EFCC office, had said N550 million out of the money he received from Dasuki was for the bombing of the ThisDay office in Abuja by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.He equally said N120 million out of the money was for 12 newspapers, including ThisDay, for the disruption of their circulation by the military.But EFCC sources told The Nation that operatives of the Commission could not establish that the money was used as Obaigbena explained.Rather, the money was paid into accounts of Obaigbena’s company for other purposes.A source told The Nation: “What we are investigating is General Hydrocarbons.

“Records from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) indicated that Nduka Obaigbena is a director of the company.“ONSA reported that General Hydrocarbons was one of the companies that received payments purportedly for contracts without contract documents or approval.“Between December 8, 2014 and May 23, 2015, Obaigbena received N670 million from ONSA.

“The reasons stated on the payment mandates are as follows: First tranche of N150 million (environmental security project) and the remaining tranches (payment for energy consultancy)“Obaigbena said he was paid compensation of N550 million for the bombing of ThisDay office in Abuja but there is no nexus between this payment and the money he collected for contracts.“None of the sums shows that what he got from ONSA was compensation.“The complaint before us is that the company was given money without contractual agreement.“By all records, Obaigbena was paid for unexecuted contracts.“It is government’s funds and he has to refund the N670 million.”

The Nations said Obaigbena reportedly signed an undertaking to refund the money in question

NATION