- The EFCC has traced N603m to BIODEC Director’s wife
- The anti-graft agency also arrested DG NABDA, Ogbadu for N23m scam
- The EFCC said Ogbadu received N23m from the slush fund
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it has traced N603m to Mrs Esther Habu, the wife of Mr Josiah Habu, who is the Director of the Bioresources Development Centre in Bayelsa state.
Punch reports that BIODEC was stablished in 2003 by the National Biotechnology Development Agency under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology as an intervention programme of the Federal Government aimed at developing the natural resources of Nigeria for use in agriculture, health, environment and industry.
READ ALSO: 2 months after his release, Nnamdi Kanu meets wife, kids of his co-accused (photos)
NAIJ.com gathered that BIODEC has about 25 centres across the country.
EFCC traces N603m to civil servant’s wife as anti-graft agency arrest NABDA DG for N23m scam
According to the EFCC, investigations showed that Esther, whose husband is a director at the BIODEC branch in Bayelsa State, was given suspicious contracts even as a total sum of N603, 000,000 was traced to her in different deals involving over 20 directors of BIODEC across the country.
The anti-graft agency said in a statement by its spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, that about N70m was traced to her husband.
The EFCC also arrested the Director-General of NABDA, Prof Lucy Ogbadu, who oversees all BIODEC branches across the country.
Ogbadu allegedly received N23m from the slush fund.
The statement read in part: “Operatives of the EFCC have arrested the serving Director-General of NABDA, Prof Lucy Ogbadu, for her alleged involvement in criminal conspiracy and diversion of public funds to the tune of N23m.
“Ogbadu was arrested on Wednesday June 28 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, following her alleged link with the Bayelsa State Director of BIODEC, Mr Josiah Habu, who is being investigated by the EFCC in a case of fraudulent diversion of the sum of N75m.
“Investigations by the EFCC showed that Ogbadu allegedly received the sum of N23m through a bank account belonging to the wife of Habu, Mrs Esther Habu, and admitted same in a voluntary statement made to the EFCC.
PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigeria’s #1 new app
“Further investigations have also shown that Mrs Habu is one of the contractors with BIODEC, Odi, Bayelsa State, and a total sum of N603m has been traced to her in different deals involving over 20 directors of BIODEC across the country.”
The commission said Ogbadu’s link with all the alleged scams was being investigated, adding that she had been duly served with bail conditions while investigations continued.
Meanwhile NAIJ.com had previously reported that an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Austin Okwor has been shot. Okwor, the EFCC said, was shot on Saturday, June 24 in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
You can watch this NAIJ.com video of Nigerians suggesting possible punishment for 'Evans the Kidnapper':
