Mrs. Waziri, Why Many Nigerian Civil Servants Work for Themselves Rather Than For the Nation?
In a few days the EFCC is reportedly set to aggressively put into practice Section 7 (b) of the EFCC Establishment Act which allows for “investigations to be conducted into the properties of any person if it appears to the Commission that a person’s life style and extent of the properties are not justified by his source of income”.
Madam, at the time of this writing a significant number of Nigerians live in poverty, and this you know as there are many hard working rank and file men and women in the police force where the salary scale remain markedly disgraceful for the constables especially. Madam, if truth be told a high number of Nigerians still live below one dollar on a daily basis.
As to those that work for public agencies, the salary structure is generally not as competitive as the pay system in the private sector, yet we see an alarming number of Nigerian officials both current and past in the public sector or agencies living the lives of millionaires and billionaires, as evidenced by your own recent words.
Madam, from the point of criminological and social analysis, you will agree that poverty and other various forms of socio-economic challenges abound in the rural areas of Nigeria, and ironically the faces of stolen wealth by dishonest Civil or public servants reveal themselves through different images and ways.
Amidst residencies in the rural communities, one sees mansions, and many of them are owned by current or out of service government workers. While it is quite known that there is a vacuum of adequate transportation in rural areas, with bikes being in frequency, it is not unusual to see highly expensive cars in some of these villages. At night, many rural residents lit up their candles and lamps while the government crooks, use stolen public money and waste it on huge and noisy generators.
The provision of adequate roads remains void in many rural areas but for the unusually rich public servant, he or she build roads and name the streets after their personal names.
In the last five to ten years, some dishonest civil servants have become sudden and unofficial bachelors as they lodge stolen monies in foreign banks buy impressive homes with their wives or husbands as well as their children living in them. Many of them periodically travel to the U. S. A; U. K, Canada, and the Caribbean on the pretext for a course or vacation, in order to renew their mates reproductive organ, and also for the purpose of given a new birth outside Nigeria’s decaying public health systems.
Among the public servants who live in high-level population areas and cities within Nigeria, they waste stolen monies on newly built houses, and buy public transportations, and rent them out for more money while they live in residences supported by government allowances.
Madam, you should dig deep fully into this matter by working closely with the Nigerian immigration office, and all foreign embassies, in Nigeria as they will be very helpful in regards to revealing the true identities of those dishonest public servants who send their pregnant wives abroad just to deliver their babies, so as to make them dual or “oyibo” children.
These public servants as part of their dishonest backgrounds usually have multiple official addresses, identities or pictures, in Nigerian banks where they are shielded by corrupt bank officials.
Madam, for those dishonest civil servants that the EFCC is able to successfully prosecute and brought to justice, as part of their punishment persuade the magistrates or judges to send some of them to provide professional or technical services to areas like the back of the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos where not less than 500 homeless people reportedly reside with some living on forty kobo daily.
Madam , many thank you, and we urge you to continue to make this issue of corruption fight a social and spiritual responsibility of yours, and history will remember how best you tried to clean up Nigeria for the average citizen.
~ By John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D , DABPS, FACFE, is a Forensic/Clinical Psychologist and an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Science, North Campus, Broward College, Coconut Creek, Florida.joshodi@broward.edu
Showing posts with label EFCC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EFCC. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Mrs.Patience Goodluck Jonathan Versus Gov. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi
The First Lady of Nigeria, Mrs. Patience Goodluck Jonathan and the Governor of Rivers State. RT.Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi."All the primary schools in Okrika are surrounded by houses and we don't want the schools to be surrounded by residential houses where people cook and sell and distract the pupils, so we have to demolish them. We want to pay them compensation and demolish the houses".
~ Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State in Nigeria on August 24, 2010.
"But what I am telling you is that you always say you must demolish, that word must you use is not good. It is by pleading. You appeal to the owners of the compound because they will not go into exile. Land is a serious issue".
~ Mrs. Patience Goodluck, the first wife of President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria.
The above exchange of words between the First Lady, Mrs. Patience Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state took place in Okrika last Tuesday August 24, 2010, when Mrs. Jonathan criticized the governor for his insistence to demolish water fronts to build a school. After the unpleasant incidence, she left the state without completing her tour as she angrily returned to Abuja from her civic reception ground in Okrika. She no longer visited the prisons where some inmates were waiting to be released and she cancelled the inspection of the model Secondary School at Ebubu Eleme.
Madam First Lady Patience Goodluck Jonathan has been throwing her weight around and supported by the desperate camps of President Goodluck Jonathan who have been paid millions of naira, including many Nollywood actors, to use image laundering to delete the money laundering case against Mrs. Patience Goodluck and her proxies.
Lest we forget that on September 11, 2006, Mr. Osita Nwajah, the EFCC spokesman made a public declaration that a whopping sum of $13.5 million Dollars(US) was seized from Mrs. Patience Jonathan, the wife of then Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Goodluck Jonathan.
“Abia is number one (of corrupt state) not because it is number one alphabetically, but because we have one of the biggest established cases of stealing, money laundering, diversion of fund against Governor Kalu. The governor used his mother, daughter, wife and brother to divert N35billion to build his business empire including Slok Airlines, Slok Pharmaceuticals and newspaper house…Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu corruption is of international dimension.There is s also a petition against the Governor of Bayelsa’s wife. She was involved in laundering the sum of one hundred and four million into foreign account. She is also being investigated.”
~ Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, during the plenary section of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which held on September 27, 2006.
The case is suit number FHC/ABJ/M/340/06 filed on August 21, 2007 at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
For a detailed account of the EFCC case of money laundering implicating Mrs. Goodluck Jonathan, see Jonathan Goodluck’s Family, Sahara Reporters, Ribadu or Adewuyi: Who Lied Against Whom? By Adebiyi Jelili Abudugana, Published 06/19/2010, in the Nigeria Matters of Nigerians In America.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
President Jonathan, Rename The Economic And Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) To Meet Our Current Times
News: Nigeria mentioned as former Merrill Lynch Executive James A. Brown Files Supplemental Motion for New Trial
President Goodluck Jonathan
President Jonathan, Rename The Economic And Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) To Meet Our Current Times
At a time when the people of Nigeria live in an ever expanding, complicated and challenging time, national agencies in the areas of security should bear names or designations that reflect instant symbol of authority, immediate sign of power and on-the-spot perception of influence.
During the sweeping reform era in Nigeria by President Olusegun Obasanjo’s post-military administration, one of the national agencies born in 2004 was the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
As a national intelligence, security and anti-crime agency the Economic and Financial Crime Commission with all of its preventive, investigative and prosecution powers persist in the fight against crimes like money laundry, Bribery, bank financial malpractice, computer crimes, forgery, land fraud, alien fraud, various schemes, scams and other related crimes like terrorism.
However, it is the physical name that is the “Economic and Financial Crime Commission” that bears some questioning and calls for refurbishing.
As a designation, it is too broad, and an all-over-the place term, in regards to the wording, symbol, and delivery. It is a label that has outlived its transitional given name and period.
From the point of symbolic human psychology, a breakdown of most of its respective words “Economic”, “Financial”, and “Commission” as well as the supervisory name, “Chairman” on a face value are collectively suggestive of an advisory board on “Crime”.
Since symbols by definition assume special imagery and functions these long-winded, wordy and boring words unconsciously, consciously, implicitly, explicitly, as well as directly and directly could collectively portrays images of a compensation body, a review forum, a charitable board, a delegating board, a trading house, a conciliation board; operating under a Chairman, as in a commercial or political head.
No one doubts that the EFCC is a statutory authority in regards to its internal and external law enforcement functions. However this does not excuse the inherent and complete vagueness that its name carries, even the it’s acronyms, which present as a bunch of successive letters that equally spell out a mouthful, drag-like and wide-ranging expressions. Of course it is easy for an EFCC officer to scream out “police” as a quick identifier of authority to a suspect or in the course of his or her duties. But that is not the point being made here is this paper.
For example, a new visitor to Nigeria or for many educationally disadvantaged Nigerians the collective name, “Economic and Financial Crime Commission”, and its contracted letters, “EFCC”, might on a face value symbolize anything, or everything else other than the instant representation of power or authority.
The question now is what is a more appropriate name that is conducive to the going expansive and operational functions of the agency?
Mr. President, let’s get right on to it, the new designation(s) being put forward could be called the “Federal Bureau of Criminal Investigation” (FBCI, which equally sounds as FBC), or the “Federal Force of Investigation” (FFI).
Mr. President, unlike the current agency’s vague, and ambiguous name, this proposed new designation(s) is colored with the sign, image and notion of instant directedness and specificity.
There could be is an assuming perception of clarity, distinction and clear-cut depiction of power in the newly proposed name, at least amongst the public and those who serve in the agency.
The new designation appears to align well with the operational, practical and strategic work of the agency.
On a psychological level the new name could help in personalizing the agency as an instrument of fear or uneasiness, and more likely to portray in the mind of any person, fear-arousing feelings and attitude.
The new designation could elicit powerful visualization of controllability embedded in the agency, at least from the perception of those in an offending mode especially.
The visibility of this proposed designation both in print and in the media could arouse a preventative mindset among those thinking of doing bad things.
Along the lines of these new labels, the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Federal Force of Investigation is the on-the-spot authoritative and up-to-the point sounding acronyms, like the “FBCI”, or “FFI”.
In the same vein, there should be a new label like the “Chief Director” or “Executive Director” in place of the commercially, corporately or politically sounding label of the term “Chairman”.
Accompanying the proposed new designations should be the label of “Special Detective” with driving characteristics of uniqueness, authenticity, professional stance and expert-driven outlook.
Mr. President, these suggested designations, appear congruent with the agency’s continued expanded roles and operations.
These functions include but are not limited to the fight against; treason, fee fraud, land scheme, cyber crimes, cult violence, aircraft kidnapping, sex trafficking, racketeering , medical child abuse, major weapon offense, international money swindling, medical fraud, espionage, sea piracy , terrorism , ethnic violence, and its other works with related law enforcement and investigative agencies.
In our contemporary world, the agency now works within a global context as crimes nationally and internationally are becoming more sophisticated and a daring in form, therefore with the up-to-date new designation like the ones proposed here, the agency’s representation become easier to be recognized globally.
Along these lines, the agency in its ongoing fight against more treacherous and expanded crimes requires an expanded human resource and contemporary technical support, in order to produce top-notch detectives.
The current training Academy in Nigeria might as well bear a new name along the lines of the already noted new labels, the FBCI or FFI. The new name of the Academy could be called the “National Investigation Training Institute” (NITI).
Mr. President, it is hoped that in your position as a 21st century leader that along with the appropriate advisors that you thoughtfully consider these up-to-date psychological and symbolic driven designations with respect to the specified agency.
It is also hoped that the federal legislature in its forward looking posture gives the needed blessing to this apparent aligning designations to an advancing national security agency like the ‘FBCI’ or ‘FFI’, in today’s world.
~ By John Oshodi
John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D, DABPS, FACFE is a Forensic/Clinical Psychologist and the Interim Associate Dean, Behavioral Science, Coconut Creek, Florida. joshodi@broward.edu
President Goodluck JonathanPresident Jonathan, Rename The Economic And Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) To Meet Our Current Times
At a time when the people of Nigeria live in an ever expanding, complicated and challenging time, national agencies in the areas of security should bear names or designations that reflect instant symbol of authority, immediate sign of power and on-the-spot perception of influence.
During the sweeping reform era in Nigeria by President Olusegun Obasanjo’s post-military administration, one of the national agencies born in 2004 was the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
As a national intelligence, security and anti-crime agency the Economic and Financial Crime Commission with all of its preventive, investigative and prosecution powers persist in the fight against crimes like money laundry, Bribery, bank financial malpractice, computer crimes, forgery, land fraud, alien fraud, various schemes, scams and other related crimes like terrorism.
However, it is the physical name that is the “Economic and Financial Crime Commission” that bears some questioning and calls for refurbishing.
As a designation, it is too broad, and an all-over-the place term, in regards to the wording, symbol, and delivery. It is a label that has outlived its transitional given name and period.
From the point of symbolic human psychology, a breakdown of most of its respective words “Economic”, “Financial”, and “Commission” as well as the supervisory name, “Chairman” on a face value are collectively suggestive of an advisory board on “Crime”.
Since symbols by definition assume special imagery and functions these long-winded, wordy and boring words unconsciously, consciously, implicitly, explicitly, as well as directly and directly could collectively portrays images of a compensation body, a review forum, a charitable board, a delegating board, a trading house, a conciliation board; operating under a Chairman, as in a commercial or political head.
No one doubts that the EFCC is a statutory authority in regards to its internal and external law enforcement functions. However this does not excuse the inherent and complete vagueness that its name carries, even the it’s acronyms, which present as a bunch of successive letters that equally spell out a mouthful, drag-like and wide-ranging expressions. Of course it is easy for an EFCC officer to scream out “police” as a quick identifier of authority to a suspect or in the course of his or her duties. But that is not the point being made here is this paper.
For example, a new visitor to Nigeria or for many educationally disadvantaged Nigerians the collective name, “Economic and Financial Crime Commission”, and its contracted letters, “EFCC”, might on a face value symbolize anything, or everything else other than the instant representation of power or authority.
The question now is what is a more appropriate name that is conducive to the going expansive and operational functions of the agency?
Mr. President, let’s get right on to it, the new designation(s) being put forward could be called the “Federal Bureau of Criminal Investigation” (FBCI, which equally sounds as FBC), or the “Federal Force of Investigation” (FFI).
Mr. President, unlike the current agency’s vague, and ambiguous name, this proposed new designation(s) is colored with the sign, image and notion of instant directedness and specificity.
There could be is an assuming perception of clarity, distinction and clear-cut depiction of power in the newly proposed name, at least amongst the public and those who serve in the agency.
The new designation appears to align well with the operational, practical and strategic work of the agency.
On a psychological level the new name could help in personalizing the agency as an instrument of fear or uneasiness, and more likely to portray in the mind of any person, fear-arousing feelings and attitude.
The new designation could elicit powerful visualization of controllability embedded in the agency, at least from the perception of those in an offending mode especially.
The visibility of this proposed designation both in print and in the media could arouse a preventative mindset among those thinking of doing bad things.
Along the lines of these new labels, the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Federal Force of Investigation is the on-the-spot authoritative and up-to-the point sounding acronyms, like the “FBCI”, or “FFI”.
In the same vein, there should be a new label like the “Chief Director” or “Executive Director” in place of the commercially, corporately or politically sounding label of the term “Chairman”.
Accompanying the proposed new designations should be the label of “Special Detective” with driving characteristics of uniqueness, authenticity, professional stance and expert-driven outlook.
Mr. President, these suggested designations, appear congruent with the agency’s continued expanded roles and operations.
These functions include but are not limited to the fight against; treason, fee fraud, land scheme, cyber crimes, cult violence, aircraft kidnapping, sex trafficking, racketeering , medical child abuse, major weapon offense, international money swindling, medical fraud, espionage, sea piracy , terrorism , ethnic violence, and its other works with related law enforcement and investigative agencies.
In our contemporary world, the agency now works within a global context as crimes nationally and internationally are becoming more sophisticated and a daring in form, therefore with the up-to-date new designation like the ones proposed here, the agency’s representation become easier to be recognized globally.
Along these lines, the agency in its ongoing fight against more treacherous and expanded crimes requires an expanded human resource and contemporary technical support, in order to produce top-notch detectives.
The current training Academy in Nigeria might as well bear a new name along the lines of the already noted new labels, the FBCI or FFI. The new name of the Academy could be called the “National Investigation Training Institute” (NITI).
Mr. President, it is hoped that in your position as a 21st century leader that along with the appropriate advisors that you thoughtfully consider these up-to-date psychological and symbolic driven designations with respect to the specified agency.
It is also hoped that the federal legislature in its forward looking posture gives the needed blessing to this apparent aligning designations to an advancing national security agency like the ‘FBCI’ or ‘FFI’, in today’s world.
~ By John Oshodi
John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D, DABPS, FACFE is a Forensic/Clinical Psychologist and the Interim Associate Dean, Behavioral Science, Coconut Creek, Florida. joshodi@broward.edu
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Dear Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, Tell that to the Marines
Nigeria's Acting President Goodluck JonathanDear Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, Tell that to the Marines
Dear Acting President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan,
The headlines of your presidential order for the manhunt and arrest of Chief James Ibori, the former governor of Delta state are all over the place online and offline.
You have said there would be no sacred cows in the anti-graft war in Nigeria. But I wonder why you have not ordered the EFCC to arrest those indicted in the Halliburton Bribery and corruption case and those indicted in the Daimler bribery scandal?
Are you afraid of these UNTOUCHABLE SACRED COWS?
Lest I forget, what of the sweetest sacred cow in your home. No, not the other woman in your life. Your private love affair is not my business oh.
I mean your CASH MADAM herself, the Acting First Lady or First Lady in Waiting, who has been fasting and praying for First Lady Turai Yar'Adua to return to Katsina state with her medically incapacitated husband and vacate Aso Villa for her BOTTOM POWER.
Is it not on record that on September 11, 2006, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seized $13.5 million dollars (US) from Mrs. Patience Jonathan when you were the lucky governor of Bayelsa State? She laundered the money through an associate and in August of the same year, the EFCC had a court order to freeze N104 million Cash Madam Patience allegedly tried to launder through one Mrs. Nancy Ebere Nwosu. The EFCC confirmed that in a sworn statement, Mrs. Nwosu implicated Patience Jonathan.
Mr. Acting President, if your Acting First Lady and the other cabal of your ruling party of Sacred Cows can still be dining and wining and wishing you goodluck in your chess of political power to become the next President of Nigeria, then I am shocked that you had the audacity to order the arrest of Chief James Ibori. Is this your own style of the anti-graft war.
Please, tell that to the Marines.
Yours Proudly Nigerian,
Orikinla Osinachi
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Is James Ibori the Only Corrupt Politician in Nigeria?
Is James Ibori the only corrupt politician in Nigeria?
The EFCC should also go after all the criminals indicted in the Halliburton bribery scandal.
You can't be looking for scapegoats while former President Chief Olusẹgun Matthew Okikiọla Arẹmu Ọbasanjọ,GCFR, and his former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (Turakin Adamawa),GCON, and the other million dollar bribe takers are still dining and wining in their mansions and VIP clubs in Lagos and Abuja.
NOBODY SHOULD BE ABOVE THE LAW OR THE LAW IS BULLSHIT.
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Sunday, April 11, 2010
The Untold Story of the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies
Update on the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies 1
On 1st July, 2005, ABZ Integrated Limited, a Nigerian company based in Abuja broke the news of the $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud by the Nigerian branch of the Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX Euronext: CHTEX), an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, (see annexure 1b).
Following the disclosures, ABZ was duly engaged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria under the Executive Chairmanship of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (see annexure 1a) as a consultant for the recovery of the unpaid taxes from Chevron Nigeria Limited. The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) under Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili acknowledged the engagement and financial entitlement of ABZ Integrated Limited (see annexure 5b).
In the last quarter of 2005, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), under the chairmanship of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, had a public hearing on the allegation of $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron Nigeria Limited. And in September 2006, the Chairman vindicated ABZ and confirmed that Chevron evaded tax as alleged and was ordered to refund the sum of $492 million. NEITI’s auditors also validated the claims of ABZ. But Chevron has only refunded a fraction of the total Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded, without paying the penalties required by PPT Act. And ABZ has not been paid its entitlements since Chevron has refunded the sum of $866 million of the Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded so far.
This is the untold story of the whole financial scandal as reported by Fidelis Uzonwanne, the Managing Consultant of ABZ Integrated Limited.
~ Nigerians Report
UPDATE ON THE ALLEGATION OF $10.8 BILLION TAX EVASION AND FRAUD AGAINST CHEVRON AND ITS ASSOCIATED COMPANIES BY ABZ INTEGRATED LTD
THE UNTOLD STORY
In July 2005, when ThisDay Newspaper published ABZ Integrated Ltd’s open letter to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on the allegation of $10.8 Billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron Nigeria Ltd, some Nigerians believed it. Some took it with a pinch of salt. While some dismissed it with utmost disbelief.
Before ABZ took that bold step, an in-dept investigation of the activities of Chevron had been painstakingly undertaken. This culminated in a 106 –page report being forwarded to EFCC on the 12th of May 2005, with over 400 page annexures (Annexure 4).
The way and manner the relevant government agencies in Nigeria reacted to the issue was very shocking and unbelievable. Organizations such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiary NAPIMS, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) etc, stood in stout defense of Chevron’s position and treated ABZ with disdain and scorn. We were undaunted because we were very sure of what we stated and were prepared to defend it till the last day.
Following our publication, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), under the chairmanship of Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili, held a meeting of stakeholders in Nicon Hotel on the 9th of August 2005. NEITI issued a press release (Annexure 5a) on the outcome of the meeting confirming inter alia:
(i) That ABZ was duly engaged as consultants by EFCC and that ABZ’s effort led to the recovery of $6.5 million
(ii) That the information provided by ABZ (i.e. the report) has been referred to the Hart Group to verify the claims made therein.
Other confirmations of ABZ’s efforts and entitlements are enclosed herewith as (Annexures 5b, c, d & e).
+TO+FIDELIS+UZONWANNE+OF+ABZ.JPG)
Recall that field work on the ABZ’s investigation of Chevron under EFCC Committee on Government Revenue Fraud was done between December 2003 and January 2005. FIRS and other Government agencies were answering questions on their respective roles relating to Chevron’s operations and their culpability thereon (Annexures 6a, 6b, 6c & 7a, 7b).
Between September and November 2005, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), under the chairmanship of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, carried out a public hearing on the allegation of $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron. About September 2006, the report of the Committee’s investigation was laid before the plenary. The chairman in a press conference confirmed to the whole world that indeed Chevron evaded tax as alleged and was ordered to refund the sum of $492 million (Annexure 8).
On November 9, 2006, Segun Adeniyi, a former Editor of ThisDay Newspaper, Spokesperson to President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and then a member of the National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG) of NEITI, confirmed to the whole world that ABZ had been vindicated because NEITI’s auditors had confirmed to them the veracity of ABZ’s claims (Annexure 9a). Please find enclosed an except from Hart Group report dated 14th August, 2006 for more details (Annexure 9b).
We want to confirm to you that the harassment Ribadu’s EFCC was giving to ABZ in 2005 was merely a decoy to shield the main issues from people’s prying eyes. This dummy sold by Ribadu’s EFCC enabled the trio of FIRS, Chevron and EFCC to conceal the recoveries being realized from Chevron through ABZ’s effort. Recent events have confirmed that the maneuvers were intended to enable them dip their fingers into the official tills. Their campaign then was that ABZ was making false claims, that Chevron never evaded tax and no money was refunded. Unknown to so many people was the fact that as at that time (July 2005), Chevron had refunded over $130 million and part of it diverted.
By a letter dated 6th October 2008, the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mrs. Ifueko Omouigui-Okauru, in response to Nigeria’s House of Representative’s Ad-hoc Committee’s inquest, claimed that the sum of $131 million had been recovered from Chevron but that it was not from ABZ’s effort (Annexure 10). At the time of this claim (i.e. October 2008), ABZ, through its own information network was aware that Chevron had refunded $491 million (Annexure 11). ABZ, through its Solicitors, Messrs Fountain Advocates, petitioned Farida’s EFCC, alleging a diversion of $360 million. The petition was dated 17th November, 2008, with all the necessary attachments including bank statements treasury receipts, correspondences from Chevron (Annexures 12a, b, & c). Two reminders dated 12th January 2009 and 14th January 2010 have been sent to Farida’s EFCC and mum is the answer (Annexures 13 & 14).
As at December 2008, Chevron had refunded the sum of $866 million of the Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded (Annexure 15). The relevant penalties based on the provisions of PPT Act is three times the tax evaded i.e. $2.598 billion (Annexure 16). FIRS has no choice than to abide by the law. There’s no evidence that FIRS is prepared to make this demand on Chevron. Besides, ABZ is still willing and prepared to provide a report that will turn in additional recoveries of $2.0 billion from Chevron.
As at today, ABZ has not been paid its fees for this assignment. Instead, FIRS and Chevron have been busy plotting how to silence ABZ. One way they thought they could achieve this was to encourage Chevron to seek ICAN’s (The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria) support to “deal” with the Managing Consultant of ABZ. Chevron petitioned ICAN that ABZ’s report was baseless, unprofessional and that Fidelis Uzonwanne, the Managing Consultant of ABZ, should be charged with professional misconduct. The company represented to ICAN that it never refunded any tax evaded (Annexure 17a, b & c). This is contrary to its various letters evidencing refunds e.g. letters of January 24, 2005, November 29, 2005 and receipts obtained (Annexures 17d, e, f & g). True to type, ICAN set to work through malicious advertisement of the fact that Fidelis Uzonwanne was facing ICAN investigating Panel without first writing him as a member. He is currently facing trial at Disciplinary Tribunal for exposing corruption and helping his country to recover $866 million of lost revenue (Annexures 18a, b & c). That is the sorry state of the Nigerian Nation.
Over $400 million out of the $866 million recovered from Chevron through ABZ’s effort has been diverted by FIRS and their collaborators in CBN (Annexures 19 & 20). Farida’s EFCC does not appear prepared to bring the criminals to book despite all the information made available to it (Annexures 21a, b & c). See Annexure 25 for more details on diverted funds. Instead, the conspirators have vowed not to pay ABZ its dues and will prefer the option of eliminating Fidelis Uzonwanne by any means. Yes, the plot to assassinate Fidelis Uzonwanne is thickening and he is aware of it. What is his offence? He led a team that exposed tax evasion and fraud perpetrated by Chevron. The first process of his annihilation is through financial strangulation by denying his company its dues. The next in the chain is to make sure he stops practicing his profession by using forged documents, falsehood and undue influence to get ICAN do its bidding. The final is assassination.
Please ventilate this to the whole world. The Nigerian economy is seriously being threatened by the cabal in government revenue agencies, who have vowed not to allow any of their own go down no matter how corrupt. The anti-corruption crusade is at its lowest ebb. Nigeria’s economic future is getting dimmer with every passing day. The Executive Chairman of FIRS, who supervised and managed the looting of the money recovered from Chevron in a letter with reference no FIRSB/MD/001/130 of 4th February, 2009 requested CBN, its accomplice, to give her a clean “bill of health”. CBN, by its letter dated 12th February 2009, with reference no. FOD/DIR/GA/SEC/012/68, acted accordingly (Annexure 22). The duo made a fruitless attempt to conceal a diversion of $112 million. ABZ, by its letter of 2nd December, 2009, knocked the bottom off the unwholesome arrangement (Annexure 23). The same goes for the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) (Annexure 24). It set up a committee to investigate the allegation of fraudulent diversion of $360 million, concluded its investigation and attempted to give Ifueko a clean “bill of health” without inviting the company that made the allegation (Annexure 25). Although the OAGF confirmed a diversion of $8.6 million, those indicted are still sitting comfortably on their seats and using tax payers’ money to campaign and launder their image.
Like all other financial scandals that have rocked Nigeria, this would have fizzled out long time ago but because of the plan of the treasury looters to “kill the goose that lays the golden egg”. If the same Chevron project had been awarded to a foreign firm, the Federal Government would have easily parted with hundreds of millions of Dollars as professional fees with the perquisites attached thereto. Believe it or not, no foreign company would have been able to match ABZ’s achievements. After ABZ’s investigation of Chevron what happened next? Other oil companies are still enjoying their illicit funds.
Since the exit of Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili from NEITI, the agency has since joined the band wagon of other government agencies who are more interested in budgetary allocations than performing the role for which they were established. ABZ by a letter dated 20th April, 2009, alerted the organization of several issues that it should ordinarily make effort to know (Annexure 26). The organization never even bordered to respond. The reason is very simple. The Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mrs. Ifueko Omouigui-Okauru has pocketed the organization and has ensured no further audits are carried out especially 2006 audit of the oil & gas industry in Nigeria, because of the unprecedented fraud by FIRS that year. The Nation lost over $3 billion of PPT and Royalty revenue to fraud.
By Fidelis Uzonwanne
Managing Consultant of ABZ Integrated Limited,
Abuja (FCT),
Nigeria.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
ALL THE REMAINING DOCUMENTS ON THIS CASE FOLLOW BELOW.
On 1st July, 2005, ABZ Integrated Limited, a Nigerian company based in Abuja broke the news of the $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud by the Nigerian branch of the Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX Euronext: CHTEX), an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, (see annexure 1b).
Following the disclosures, ABZ was duly engaged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria under the Executive Chairmanship of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (see annexure 1a) as a consultant for the recovery of the unpaid taxes from Chevron Nigeria Limited. The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) under Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili acknowledged the engagement and financial entitlement of ABZ Integrated Limited (see annexure 5b).
In the last quarter of 2005, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), under the chairmanship of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, had a public hearing on the allegation of $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron Nigeria Limited. And in September 2006, the Chairman vindicated ABZ and confirmed that Chevron evaded tax as alleged and was ordered to refund the sum of $492 million. NEITI’s auditors also validated the claims of ABZ. But Chevron has only refunded a fraction of the total Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded, without paying the penalties required by PPT Act. And ABZ has not been paid its entitlements since Chevron has refunded the sum of $866 million of the Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded so far.
This is the untold story of the whole financial scandal as reported by Fidelis Uzonwanne, the Managing Consultant of ABZ Integrated Limited.
~ Nigerians Report
UPDATE ON THE ALLEGATION OF $10.8 BILLION TAX EVASION AND FRAUD AGAINST CHEVRON AND ITS ASSOCIATED COMPANIES BY ABZ INTEGRATED LTD
THE UNTOLD STORY
In July 2005, when ThisDay Newspaper published ABZ Integrated Ltd’s open letter to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on the allegation of $10.8 Billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron Nigeria Ltd, some Nigerians believed it. Some took it with a pinch of salt. While some dismissed it with utmost disbelief.
Before ABZ took that bold step, an in-dept investigation of the activities of Chevron had been painstakingly undertaken. This culminated in a 106 –page report being forwarded to EFCC on the 12th of May 2005, with over 400 page annexures (Annexure 4).
The way and manner the relevant government agencies in Nigeria reacted to the issue was very shocking and unbelievable. Organizations such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiary NAPIMS, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) etc, stood in stout defense of Chevron’s position and treated ABZ with disdain and scorn. We were undaunted because we were very sure of what we stated and were prepared to defend it till the last day.
Following our publication, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), under the chairmanship of Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili, held a meeting of stakeholders in Nicon Hotel on the 9th of August 2005. NEITI issued a press release (Annexure 5a) on the outcome of the meeting confirming inter alia:
(i) That ABZ was duly engaged as consultants by EFCC and that ABZ’s effort led to the recovery of $6.5 million
(ii) That the information provided by ABZ (i.e. the report) has been referred to the Hart Group to verify the claims made therein.
Other confirmations of ABZ’s efforts and entitlements are enclosed herewith as (Annexures 5b, c, d & e).
+TO+FIDELIS+UZONWANNE+OF+ABZ.JPG){kind=spacer}
Recall that field work on the ABZ’s investigation of Chevron under EFCC Committee on Government Revenue Fraud was done between December 2003 and January 2005. FIRS and other Government agencies were answering questions on their respective roles relating to Chevron’s operations and their culpability thereon (Annexures 6a, 6b, 6c & 7a, 7b).
Between September and November 2005, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), under the chairmanship of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, carried out a public hearing on the allegation of $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron. About September 2006, the report of the Committee’s investigation was laid before the plenary. The chairman in a press conference confirmed to the whole world that indeed Chevron evaded tax as alleged and was ordered to refund the sum of $492 million (Annexure 8).
On November 9, 2006, Segun Adeniyi, a former Editor of ThisDay Newspaper, Spokesperson to President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and then a member of the National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG) of NEITI, confirmed to the whole world that ABZ had been vindicated because NEITI’s auditors had confirmed to them the veracity of ABZ’s claims (Annexure 9a). Please find enclosed an except from Hart Group report dated 14th August, 2006 for more details (Annexure 9b).
We want to confirm to you that the harassment Ribadu’s EFCC was giving to ABZ in 2005 was merely a decoy to shield the main issues from people’s prying eyes. This dummy sold by Ribadu’s EFCC enabled the trio of FIRS, Chevron and EFCC to conceal the recoveries being realized from Chevron through ABZ’s effort. Recent events have confirmed that the maneuvers were intended to enable them dip their fingers into the official tills. Their campaign then was that ABZ was making false claims, that Chevron never evaded tax and no money was refunded. Unknown to so many people was the fact that as at that time (July 2005), Chevron had refunded over $130 million and part of it diverted.
By a letter dated 6th October 2008, the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mrs. Ifueko Omouigui-Okauru, in response to Nigeria’s House of Representative’s Ad-hoc Committee’s inquest, claimed that the sum of $131 million had been recovered from Chevron but that it was not from ABZ’s effort (Annexure 10). At the time of this claim (i.e. October 2008), ABZ, through its own information network was aware that Chevron had refunded $491 million (Annexure 11). ABZ, through its Solicitors, Messrs Fountain Advocates, petitioned Farida’s EFCC, alleging a diversion of $360 million. The petition was dated 17th November, 2008, with all the necessary attachments including bank statements treasury receipts, correspondences from Chevron (Annexures 12a, b, & c). Two reminders dated 12th January 2009 and 14th January 2010 have been sent to Farida’s EFCC and mum is the answer (Annexures 13 & 14).
As at December 2008, Chevron had refunded the sum of $866 million of the Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded (Annexure 15). The relevant penalties based on the provisions of PPT Act is three times the tax evaded i.e. $2.598 billion (Annexure 16). FIRS has no choice than to abide by the law. There’s no evidence that FIRS is prepared to make this demand on Chevron. Besides, ABZ is still willing and prepared to provide a report that will turn in additional recoveries of $2.0 billion from Chevron.
As at today, ABZ has not been paid its fees for this assignment. Instead, FIRS and Chevron have been busy plotting how to silence ABZ. One way they thought they could achieve this was to encourage Chevron to seek ICAN’s (The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria) support to “deal” with the Managing Consultant of ABZ. Chevron petitioned ICAN that ABZ’s report was baseless, unprofessional and that Fidelis Uzonwanne, the Managing Consultant of ABZ, should be charged with professional misconduct. The company represented to ICAN that it never refunded any tax evaded (Annexure 17a, b & c). This is contrary to its various letters evidencing refunds e.g. letters of January 24, 2005, November 29, 2005 and receipts obtained (Annexures 17d, e, f & g). True to type, ICAN set to work through malicious advertisement of the fact that Fidelis Uzonwanne was facing ICAN investigating Panel without first writing him as a member. He is currently facing trial at Disciplinary Tribunal for exposing corruption and helping his country to recover $866 million of lost revenue (Annexures 18a, b & c). That is the sorry state of the Nigerian Nation.
Over $400 million out of the $866 million recovered from Chevron through ABZ’s effort has been diverted by FIRS and their collaborators in CBN (Annexures 19 & 20). Farida’s EFCC does not appear prepared to bring the criminals to book despite all the information made available to it (Annexures 21a, b & c). See Annexure 25 for more details on diverted funds. Instead, the conspirators have vowed not to pay ABZ its dues and will prefer the option of eliminating Fidelis Uzonwanne by any means. Yes, the plot to assassinate Fidelis Uzonwanne is thickening and he is aware of it. What is his offence? He led a team that exposed tax evasion and fraud perpetrated by Chevron. The first process of his annihilation is through financial strangulation by denying his company its dues. The next in the chain is to make sure he stops practicing his profession by using forged documents, falsehood and undue influence to get ICAN do its bidding. The final is assassination.
Please ventilate this to the whole world. The Nigerian economy is seriously being threatened by the cabal in government revenue agencies, who have vowed not to allow any of their own go down no matter how corrupt. The anti-corruption crusade is at its lowest ebb. Nigeria’s economic future is getting dimmer with every passing day. The Executive Chairman of FIRS, who supervised and managed the looting of the money recovered from Chevron in a letter with reference no FIRSB/MD/001/130 of 4th February, 2009 requested CBN, its accomplice, to give her a clean “bill of health”. CBN, by its letter dated 12th February 2009, with reference no. FOD/DIR/GA/SEC/012/68, acted accordingly (Annexure 22). The duo made a fruitless attempt to conceal a diversion of $112 million. ABZ, by its letter of 2nd December, 2009, knocked the bottom off the unwholesome arrangement (Annexure 23). The same goes for the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) (Annexure 24). It set up a committee to investigate the allegation of fraudulent diversion of $360 million, concluded its investigation and attempted to give Ifueko a clean “bill of health” without inviting the company that made the allegation (Annexure 25). Although the OAGF confirmed a diversion of $8.6 million, those indicted are still sitting comfortably on their seats and using tax payers’ money to campaign and launder their image.
Like all other financial scandals that have rocked Nigeria, this would have fizzled out long time ago but because of the plan of the treasury looters to “kill the goose that lays the golden egg”. If the same Chevron project had been awarded to a foreign firm, the Federal Government would have easily parted with hundreds of millions of Dollars as professional fees with the perquisites attached thereto. Believe it or not, no foreign company would have been able to match ABZ’s achievements. After ABZ’s investigation of Chevron what happened next? Other oil companies are still enjoying their illicit funds.
Since the exit of Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili from NEITI, the agency has since joined the band wagon of other government agencies who are more interested in budgetary allocations than performing the role for which they were established. ABZ by a letter dated 20th April, 2009, alerted the organization of several issues that it should ordinarily make effort to know (Annexure 26). The organization never even bordered to respond. The reason is very simple. The Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mrs. Ifueko Omouigui-Okauru has pocketed the organization and has ensured no further audits are carried out especially 2006 audit of the oil & gas industry in Nigeria, because of the unprecedented fraud by FIRS that year. The Nation lost over $3 billion of PPT and Royalty revenue to fraud.
By Fidelis Uzonwanne
Managing Consultant of ABZ Integrated Limited,
Abuja (FCT),
Nigeria.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
ALL THE REMAINING DOCUMENTS ON THIS CASE FOLLOW BELOW.
Update on the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies 4
EXPOSED:
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Post Script: Chevron, EFCC and FIRS Are Not Above the Law
Enlighten the people, generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like spirits at the dawn of day.
~ Thomas Jefferson, 3rd president of US (1743 - 1826)
On 1st July, 2005, ABZ Integrated Limited, a Nigerian company based in Abuja broke the news of the $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud by the Nigerian branch of the Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX Euronext: CHTEX) is an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California in the United States of America.
Following these disclosures, ABZ was duly engaged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria under the Executive Chairmanship of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as a consultant for the recovery of the unpaid taxes from Chevron Nigeria Limited. The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) under Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili acknowledged the engagement and financial entitlement of ABZ Integrated Limited
I have been following this case since I reported the $10.8 Billion tax evasion and fraud allegation against Chevron on Monday, August 01, 2005 and also posted the refutation by Chevron in their rejoinder on Wednesday, August 03, 2005.
In the last quarter of 2005, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), under the chairmanship of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, had a public hearing on the allegation of $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron Nigeria Limited. And in September 2006, the Chairman vindicated ABZ and confirmed that Chevron evaded tax as alleged and was ordered to refund the sum of $492 million. NEITI’s auditors also validated the claims of ABZ. But Chevron has only refunded a fraction of the total Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded, without paying the penalties required by PPT Act. And ABZ has not been paid its entitlements since Chevron has refunded the sum of $866 million of the Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded so far.
The untold story of the whole financial scandal as reported by Fidelis Uzonwanne, the Managing Consultant of ABZ Integrated Limited has been published on Nigerians Report in seven parts since Wednesday, March 31, 2010 to date.
I have nothing personal against the Chevron Corporation, First Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and they have the right to challenge or dismiss the statement of ABZ Integrated Limited. But if they fail to prove that ABZ Integrated is wrong, then they must follow the due process of the law to let justice prevail.
Chevron, EFCC and FIRS are not above the law.
We must not condone corrupt practices at all levels of public service or private practice whether indoors or outdoors. We must not compromise the ethics of equity and justice no matter the temptations, trials and weaknesses of life.
We must not be afraid to preach and publish the truth and we must practice what we preach and teach or hang our heads as cowards and retards.
We must stand up for what is just and right or we shall lick the dust off the feet of those who perpetrate and perpetuate corruption and we shall forfeit the dignity and integrity of humanity.
Whosoever knows and sees what is bad and does not report, prevent or stop it is equally bad, evil and wicked as the devil.
Corruption causes the destruction of human civilization.
If we do not destroy corruption today, corruption will destroy us tomorrow.
I do not compromise my faith in truth for selfish interests.
Faithfully,
Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima
The Publisher/Editor
Related articles from newspapers, magazines, journals, and more
~ Thomas Jefferson, 3rd president of US (1743 - 1826)
On 1st July, 2005, ABZ Integrated Limited, a Nigerian company based in Abuja broke the news of the $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud by the Nigerian branch of the Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX Euronext: CHTEX) is an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California in the United States of America.
Following these disclosures, ABZ was duly engaged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria under the Executive Chairmanship of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as a consultant for the recovery of the unpaid taxes from Chevron Nigeria Limited. The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) under Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili acknowledged the engagement and financial entitlement of ABZ Integrated Limited
I have been following this case since I reported the $10.8 Billion tax evasion and fraud allegation against Chevron on Monday, August 01, 2005 and also posted the refutation by Chevron in their rejoinder on Wednesday, August 03, 2005.
In the last quarter of 2005, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), under the chairmanship of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, had a public hearing on the allegation of $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron Nigeria Limited. And in September 2006, the Chairman vindicated ABZ and confirmed that Chevron evaded tax as alleged and was ordered to refund the sum of $492 million. NEITI’s auditors also validated the claims of ABZ. But Chevron has only refunded a fraction of the total Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded, without paying the penalties required by PPT Act. And ABZ has not been paid its entitlements since Chevron has refunded the sum of $866 million of the Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded so far.
The untold story of the whole financial scandal as reported by Fidelis Uzonwanne, the Managing Consultant of ABZ Integrated Limited has been published on Nigerians Report in seven parts since Wednesday, March 31, 2010 to date.
I have nothing personal against the Chevron Corporation, First Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and they have the right to challenge or dismiss the statement of ABZ Integrated Limited. But if they fail to prove that ABZ Integrated is wrong, then they must follow the due process of the law to let justice prevail.
Chevron, EFCC and FIRS are not above the law.
We must not condone corrupt practices at all levels of public service or private practice whether indoors or outdoors. We must not compromise the ethics of equity and justice no matter the temptations, trials and weaknesses of life.
We must not be afraid to preach and publish the truth and we must practice what we preach and teach or hang our heads as cowards and retards.
We must stand up for what is just and right or we shall lick the dust off the feet of those who perpetrate and perpetuate corruption and we shall forfeit the dignity and integrity of humanity.
Whosoever knows and sees what is bad and does not report, prevent or stop it is equally bad, evil and wicked as the devil.
Corruption causes the destruction of human civilization.
If we do not destroy corruption today, corruption will destroy us tomorrow.
I do not compromise my faith in truth for selfish interests.
Faithfully,
Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima
The Publisher/Editor
Related articles from newspapers, magazines, journals, and more
- Chevron Contests $2.7bn Alleged Tax Evasion.
- News wire article from: Asia Africa Intelligence Wire July 25, 2005 700+ words
- Alleged Tax Fraud: Chevron Rebuffs FG.
- News wire article from: Asia Africa Intelligence Wire August 7, 2005 700+ words
- Chevron faces Nigerian tax probe.(Tax consultants alleges the company of...
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- PHILIPPINE LAWMAKERS EYE "WINDFALL PROFIT TAX" ON OIL FIRMS.
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- Tax Evasion - Chevron Refutes House of Reps Committee Report.
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- Storms held back Chevron, Anadarko.(third quarter profits)
- News wire article from: Houston Chronicle (Houston, TX) Cook, Lynn J. October 29, 2005 700+ words
- Unveiling the $10.8 Billion Oil Tax Saga.
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Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
The Untold Story of the $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion and Fraud By Chevron Nigeria Limited and Its Associated Companies
Update on the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies 1
On 1st July, 2005, ABZ Integrated Limited, a Nigerian company based in Abuja broke the news of the $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud by the Nigerian branch of the Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX Euronext: CHTEX), an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, (see annexure 1b).
Following the disclosures, ABZ was duly engaged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria under the Executive Chairmanship of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (see annexure 1a) as a consultant for the recovery of the unpaid taxes from Chevron Nigeria Limited. The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) under Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili acknowledged the engagement and financial entitlement of ABZ Integrated Limited (see annexure 5b).
In the last quarter of 2005, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), under the chairmanship of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, had a public hearing on the allegation of $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron Nigeria Limited. And in September 2006, the Chairman vindicated ABZ and confirmed that Chevron evaded tax as alleged and was ordered to refund the sum of $492 million. NEITI’s auditors also validated the claims of ABZ. But Chevron has only refunded a fraction of the total Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded, without paying the penalties required by PPT Act. And ABZ has not been paid its entitlements since Chevron has refunded the sum of $866 million of the Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded so far.
This is the untold story of the whole financial scandal as reported by Fidelis Uzonwanne, the Managing Consultant of ABZ Integrated Limited.
~ Nigerians Report
UPDATE ON THE ALLEGATION OF $10.8 BILLION TAX EVASION AND FRAUD AGAINST CHEVRON AND ITS ASSOCIATED COMPANIES BY ABZ INTEGRATED LTD
THE UNTOLD STORY
In July 2005, when ThisDay Newspaper published ABZ Integrated Ltd’s open letter to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on the allegation of $10.8 Billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron Nigeria Ltd, some Nigerians believed it. Some took it with a pinch of salt. While some dismissed it with utmost disbelief.
Before ABZ took that bold step, an in-dept investigation of the activities of Chevron had been painstakingly undertaken. This culminated in a 106 –page report being forwarded to EFCC on the 12th of May 2005, with over 400 page annexures (Annexure 4).
The way and manner the relevant government agencies in Nigeria reacted to the issue was very shocking and unbelievable. Organizations such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiary NAPIMS, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) etc, stood in stout defense of Chevron’s position and treated ABZ with disdain and scorn. We were undaunted because we were very sure of what we stated and were prepared to defend it till the last day.
Following our publication, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), under the chairmanship of Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili, held a meeting of stakeholders in Nicon Hotel on the 9th of August 2005. NEITI issued a press release (Annexure 5a) on the outcome of the meeting confirming inter alia:
(i) That ABZ was duly engaged as consultants by EFCC and that ABZ’s effort led to the recovery of $6.5 million
(ii) That the information provided by ABZ (i.e. the report) has been referred to the Hart Group to verify the claims made therein.
Other confirmations of ABZ’s efforts and entitlements are enclosed herewith as (Annexures 5b, c, d & e).
Recall that field work on the ABZ’s investigation of Chevron under EFCC Committee on Government Revenue Fraud was done between December 2003 and January 2005. FIRS and other Government agencies were answering questions on their respective roles relating to Chevron’s operations and their culpability thereon (Annexures 6a, 6b, 6c & 7a, 7b).
Between September and November 2005, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), under the chairmanship of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, carried out a public hearing on the allegation of $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron. About September 2006, the report of the Committee’s investigation was laid before the plenary. The chairman in a press conference confirmed to the whole world that indeed Chevron evaded tax as alleged and was ordered to refund the sum of $492 million (Annexure 8).
On November 9, 2006, Segun Adeniyi, a former Editor of ThisDay Newspaper, Spokesperson to President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and then a member of the National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG) of NEITI, confirmed to the whole world that ABZ had been vindicated because NEITI’s auditors had confirmed to them the veracity of ABZ’s claims (Annexure 9a). Please find enclosed an except from Hart Group report dated 14th August, 2006 for more details (Annexure 9b).
We want to confirm to you that the harassment Ribadu’s EFCC was giving to ABZ in 2005 was merely a decoy to shield the main issues from people’s prying eyes. This dummy sold by Ribadu’s EFCC enabled the trio of FIRS, Chevron and EFCC to conceal the recoveries being realized from Chevron through ABZ’s effort. Recent events have confirmed that the maneuvers were intended to enable them dip their fingers into the official tills. Their campaign then was that ABZ was making false claims, that Chevron never evaded tax and no money was refunded. Unknown to so many people was the fact that as at that time (July 2005), Chevron had refunded over $130 million and part of it diverted.
By a letter dated 6th October 2008, the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mrs. Ifueko Omouigui-Okauru, in response to Nigeria’s House of Representative’s Ad-hoc Committee’s inquest, claimed that the sum of $131 million had been recovered from Chevron but that it was not from ABZ’s effort (Annexure 10). At the time of this claim (i.e. October 2008), ABZ, through its own information network was aware that Chevron had refunded $491 million (Annexure 11). ABZ, through its Solicitors, Messrs Fountain Advocates, petitioned Farida’s EFCC, alleging a diversion of $360 million. The petition was dated 17th November, 2008, with all the necessary attachments including bank statements treasury receipts, correspondences from Chevron (Annexures 12a, b, & c). Two reminders dated 12th January 2009 and 14th January 2010 have been sent to Farida’s EFCC and mum is the answer (Annexures 13 & 14).
As at December 2008, Chevron had refunded the sum of $866 million of the Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded (Annexure 15). The relevant penalties based on the provisions of PPT Act is three times the tax evaded i.e. $2.598 billion (Annexure 16). FIRS has no choice than to abide by the law. There’s no evidence that FIRS is prepared to make this demand on Chevron. Besides, ABZ is still willing and prepared to provide a report that will turn in additional recoveries of $2.0 billion from Chevron.
As at today, ABZ has not been paid its fees for this assignment. Instead, FIRS and Chevron have been busy plotting how to silence ABZ. One way they thought they could achieve this was to encourage Chevron to seek ICAN’s (The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria) support to “deal” with the Managing Consultant of ABZ. Chevron petitioned ICAN that ABZ’s report was baseless, unprofessional and that Fidelis Uzonwanne, the Managing Consultant of ABZ, should be charged with professional misconduct. The company represented to ICAN that it never refunded any tax evaded (Annexure 17a, b & c). This is contrary to its various letters evidencing refunds e.g. letters of January 24, 2005, November 29, 2005 and receipts obtained (Annexures 17d, e, f & g). True to type, ICAN set to work through malicious advertisement of the fact that Fidelis Uzonwanne was facing ICAN investigating Panel without first writing him as a member. He is currently facing trial at Disciplinary Tribunal for exposing corruption and helping his country to recover $866 million of lost revenue (Annexures 18a, b & c). That is the sorry state of the Nigerian Nation.
Over $400 million out of the $866 million recovered from Chevron through ABZ’s effort has been diverted by FIRS and their collaborators in CBN (Annexures 19 & 20). Farida’s EFCC does not appear prepared to bring the criminals to book despite all the information made available to it (Annexures 21a, b & c). See Annexure 25 for more details on diverted funds. Instead, the conspirators have vowed not to pay ABZ its dues and will prefer the option of eliminating Fidelis Uzonwanne by any means. Yes, the plot to assassinate Fidelis Uzonwanne is thickening and he is aware of it. What is his offence? He led a team that exposed tax evasion and fraud perpetrated by Chevron. The first process of his annihilation is through financial strangulation by denying his company its dues. The next in the chain is to make sure he stops practicing his profession by using forged documents, falsehood and undue influence to get ICAN do its bidding. The final is assassination.
Please ventilate this to the whole world. The Nigerian economy is seriously being threatened by the cabal in government revenue agencies, who have vowed not to allow any of their own go down no matter how corrupt. The anti-corruption crusade is at its lowest ebb. Nigeria’s economic future is getting dimmer with every passing day. The Executive Chairman of FIRS, who supervised and managed the looting of the money recovered from Chevron in a letter with reference no FIRSB/MD/001/130 of 4th February, 2009 requested CBN, its accomplice, to give her a clean “bill of health”. CBN, by its letter dated 12th February 2009, with reference no. FOD/DIR/GA/SEC/012/68, acted accordingly (Annexure 22). The duo made a fruitless attempt to conceal a diversion of $112 million. ABZ, by its letter of 2nd December, 2009, knocked the bottom off the unwholesome arrangement (Annexure 23). The same goes for the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) (Annexure 24). It set up a committee to investigate the allegation of fraudulent diversion of $360 million, concluded its investigation and attempted to give Ifueko a clean “bill of health” without inviting the company that made the allegation (Annexure 25). Although the OAGF confirmed a diversion of $8.6 million, those indicted are still sitting comfortably on their seats and using tax payers’ money to campaign and launder their image.
Like all other financial scandals that have rocked Nigeria, this would have fizzled out long time ago but because of the plan of the treasury looters to “kill the goose that lays the golden egg”. If the same Chevron project had been awarded to a foreign firm, the Federal Government would have easily parted with hundreds of millions of Dollars as professional fees with the perquisites attached thereto. Believe it or not, no foreign company would have been able to match ABZ’s achievements. After ABZ’s investigation of Chevron what happened next? Other oil companies are still enjoying their illicit funds.
Since the exit of Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili from NEITI, the agency has since joined the band wagon of other government agencies who are more interested in budgetary allocations than performing the role for which they were established. ABZ by a letter dated 20th April, 2009, alerted the organization of several issues that it should ordinarily make effort to know (Annexure 26). The organization never even bordered to respond. The reason is very simple. The Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mrs. Ifueko Omouigui-Okauru has pocketed the organization and has ensured no further audits are carried out especially 2006 audit of the oil & gas industry in Nigeria, because of the unprecedented fraud by FIRS that year. The Nation lost over $3 billion of PPT and Royalty revenue to fraud.
By Fidelis Uzonwanne
Managing Consultant of ABZ Integrated Limited,
Abuja (FCT),
Nigeria.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
ALL THE REMAINING DOCUMENTS ON THIS CASE WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE FOLLOWING DAYS OF THE FIRST WEEK OF APRIL.
On 1st July, 2005, ABZ Integrated Limited, a Nigerian company based in Abuja broke the news of the $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud by the Nigerian branch of the Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX Euronext: CHTEX), an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, (see annexure 1b).
Following the disclosures, ABZ was duly engaged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria under the Executive Chairmanship of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (see annexure 1a) as a consultant for the recovery of the unpaid taxes from Chevron Nigeria Limited. The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) under Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili acknowledged the engagement and financial entitlement of ABZ Integrated Limited (see annexure 5b).
In the last quarter of 2005, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), under the chairmanship of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, had a public hearing on the allegation of $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron Nigeria Limited. And in September 2006, the Chairman vindicated ABZ and confirmed that Chevron evaded tax as alleged and was ordered to refund the sum of $492 million. NEITI’s auditors also validated the claims of ABZ. But Chevron has only refunded a fraction of the total Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded, without paying the penalties required by PPT Act. And ABZ has not been paid its entitlements since Chevron has refunded the sum of $866 million of the Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded so far.
This is the untold story of the whole financial scandal as reported by Fidelis Uzonwanne, the Managing Consultant of ABZ Integrated Limited.
~ Nigerians Report
UPDATE ON THE ALLEGATION OF $10.8 BILLION TAX EVASION AND FRAUD AGAINST CHEVRON AND ITS ASSOCIATED COMPANIES BY ABZ INTEGRATED LTD
THE UNTOLD STORY
In July 2005, when ThisDay Newspaper published ABZ Integrated Ltd’s open letter to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on the allegation of $10.8 Billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron Nigeria Ltd, some Nigerians believed it. Some took it with a pinch of salt. While some dismissed it with utmost disbelief.
Before ABZ took that bold step, an in-dept investigation of the activities of Chevron had been painstakingly undertaken. This culminated in a 106 –page report being forwarded to EFCC on the 12th of May 2005, with over 400 page annexures (Annexure 4).
The way and manner the relevant government agencies in Nigeria reacted to the issue was very shocking and unbelievable. Organizations such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiary NAPIMS, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) etc, stood in stout defense of Chevron’s position and treated ABZ with disdain and scorn. We were undaunted because we were very sure of what we stated and were prepared to defend it till the last day.
Following our publication, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), under the chairmanship of Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili, held a meeting of stakeholders in Nicon Hotel on the 9th of August 2005. NEITI issued a press release (Annexure 5a) on the outcome of the meeting confirming inter alia:
(i) That ABZ was duly engaged as consultants by EFCC and that ABZ’s effort led to the recovery of $6.5 million
(ii) That the information provided by ABZ (i.e. the report) has been referred to the Hart Group to verify the claims made therein.
Other confirmations of ABZ’s efforts and entitlements are enclosed herewith as (Annexures 5b, c, d & e).
Recall that field work on the ABZ’s investigation of Chevron under EFCC Committee on Government Revenue Fraud was done between December 2003 and January 2005. FIRS and other Government agencies were answering questions on their respective roles relating to Chevron’s operations and their culpability thereon (Annexures 6a, 6b, 6c & 7a, 7b).
Between September and November 2005, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), under the chairmanship of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, carried out a public hearing on the allegation of $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron. About September 2006, the report of the Committee’s investigation was laid before the plenary. The chairman in a press conference confirmed to the whole world that indeed Chevron evaded tax as alleged and was ordered to refund the sum of $492 million (Annexure 8).
On November 9, 2006, Segun Adeniyi, a former Editor of ThisDay Newspaper, Spokesperson to President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and then a member of the National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG) of NEITI, confirmed to the whole world that ABZ had been vindicated because NEITI’s auditors had confirmed to them the veracity of ABZ’s claims (Annexure 9a). Please find enclosed an except from Hart Group report dated 14th August, 2006 for more details (Annexure 9b).
We want to confirm to you that the harassment Ribadu’s EFCC was giving to ABZ in 2005 was merely a decoy to shield the main issues from people’s prying eyes. This dummy sold by Ribadu’s EFCC enabled the trio of FIRS, Chevron and EFCC to conceal the recoveries being realized from Chevron through ABZ’s effort. Recent events have confirmed that the maneuvers were intended to enable them dip their fingers into the official tills. Their campaign then was that ABZ was making false claims, that Chevron never evaded tax and no money was refunded. Unknown to so many people was the fact that as at that time (July 2005), Chevron had refunded over $130 million and part of it diverted.
By a letter dated 6th October 2008, the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mrs. Ifueko Omouigui-Okauru, in response to Nigeria’s House of Representative’s Ad-hoc Committee’s inquest, claimed that the sum of $131 million had been recovered from Chevron but that it was not from ABZ’s effort (Annexure 10). At the time of this claim (i.e. October 2008), ABZ, through its own information network was aware that Chevron had refunded $491 million (Annexure 11). ABZ, through its Solicitors, Messrs Fountain Advocates, petitioned Farida’s EFCC, alleging a diversion of $360 million. The petition was dated 17th November, 2008, with all the necessary attachments including bank statements treasury receipts, correspondences from Chevron (Annexures 12a, b, & c). Two reminders dated 12th January 2009 and 14th January 2010 have been sent to Farida’s EFCC and mum is the answer (Annexures 13 & 14).
As at December 2008, Chevron had refunded the sum of $866 million of the Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded (Annexure 15). The relevant penalties based on the provisions of PPT Act is three times the tax evaded i.e. $2.598 billion (Annexure 16). FIRS has no choice than to abide by the law. There’s no evidence that FIRS is prepared to make this demand on Chevron. Besides, ABZ is still willing and prepared to provide a report that will turn in additional recoveries of $2.0 billion from Chevron.
As at today, ABZ has not been paid its fees for this assignment. Instead, FIRS and Chevron have been busy plotting how to silence ABZ. One way they thought they could achieve this was to encourage Chevron to seek ICAN’s (The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria) support to “deal” with the Managing Consultant of ABZ. Chevron petitioned ICAN that ABZ’s report was baseless, unprofessional and that Fidelis Uzonwanne, the Managing Consultant of ABZ, should be charged with professional misconduct. The company represented to ICAN that it never refunded any tax evaded (Annexure 17a, b & c). This is contrary to its various letters evidencing refunds e.g. letters of January 24, 2005, November 29, 2005 and receipts obtained (Annexures 17d, e, f & g). True to type, ICAN set to work through malicious advertisement of the fact that Fidelis Uzonwanne was facing ICAN investigating Panel without first writing him as a member. He is currently facing trial at Disciplinary Tribunal for exposing corruption and helping his country to recover $866 million of lost revenue (Annexures 18a, b & c). That is the sorry state of the Nigerian Nation.
Over $400 million out of the $866 million recovered from Chevron through ABZ’s effort has been diverted by FIRS and their collaborators in CBN (Annexures 19 & 20). Farida’s EFCC does not appear prepared to bring the criminals to book despite all the information made available to it (Annexures 21a, b & c). See Annexure 25 for more details on diverted funds. Instead, the conspirators have vowed not to pay ABZ its dues and will prefer the option of eliminating Fidelis Uzonwanne by any means. Yes, the plot to assassinate Fidelis Uzonwanne is thickening and he is aware of it. What is his offence? He led a team that exposed tax evasion and fraud perpetrated by Chevron. The first process of his annihilation is through financial strangulation by denying his company its dues. The next in the chain is to make sure he stops practicing his profession by using forged documents, falsehood and undue influence to get ICAN do its bidding. The final is assassination.
Please ventilate this to the whole world. The Nigerian economy is seriously being threatened by the cabal in government revenue agencies, who have vowed not to allow any of their own go down no matter how corrupt. The anti-corruption crusade is at its lowest ebb. Nigeria’s economic future is getting dimmer with every passing day. The Executive Chairman of FIRS, who supervised and managed the looting of the money recovered from Chevron in a letter with reference no FIRSB/MD/001/130 of 4th February, 2009 requested CBN, its accomplice, to give her a clean “bill of health”. CBN, by its letter dated 12th February 2009, with reference no. FOD/DIR/GA/SEC/012/68, acted accordingly (Annexure 22). The duo made a fruitless attempt to conceal a diversion of $112 million. ABZ, by its letter of 2nd December, 2009, knocked the bottom off the unwholesome arrangement (Annexure 23). The same goes for the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) (Annexure 24). It set up a committee to investigate the allegation of fraudulent diversion of $360 million, concluded its investigation and attempted to give Ifueko a clean “bill of health” without inviting the company that made the allegation (Annexure 25). Although the OAGF confirmed a diversion of $8.6 million, those indicted are still sitting comfortably on their seats and using tax payers’ money to campaign and launder their image.
Like all other financial scandals that have rocked Nigeria, this would have fizzled out long time ago but because of the plan of the treasury looters to “kill the goose that lays the golden egg”. If the same Chevron project had been awarded to a foreign firm, the Federal Government would have easily parted with hundreds of millions of Dollars as professional fees with the perquisites attached thereto. Believe it or not, no foreign company would have been able to match ABZ’s achievements. After ABZ’s investigation of Chevron what happened next? Other oil companies are still enjoying their illicit funds.
Since the exit of Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili from NEITI, the agency has since joined the band wagon of other government agencies who are more interested in budgetary allocations than performing the role for which they were established. ABZ by a letter dated 20th April, 2009, alerted the organization of several issues that it should ordinarily make effort to know (Annexure 26). The organization never even bordered to respond. The reason is very simple. The Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mrs. Ifueko Omouigui-Okauru has pocketed the organization and has ensured no further audits are carried out especially 2006 audit of the oil & gas industry in Nigeria, because of the unprecedented fraud by FIRS that year. The Nation lost over $3 billion of PPT and Royalty revenue to fraud.
By Fidelis Uzonwanne
Managing Consultant of ABZ Integrated Limited,
Abuja (FCT),
Nigeria.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
ALL THE REMAINING DOCUMENTS ON THIS CASE WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE FOLLOWING DAYS OF THE FIRST WEEK OF APRIL.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
EFCC Interrogates the MD of Nigerian Film Corporation
Mr. Afolabi Adesanya, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) has been quizzed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the misappropriation of over N11 million allocated for the transfer of the headquarters of the NFC from Jos to Abuja, the Federal Capital of Nigeria.
Prof. Dora Akunyili, the incorruptible Minister of Information and Communication is not happy about the misadministration of the Nigerian Film Corporation since the appointment of Mr. Adesanya and would ensure that the management of the film body must be above board from henceforth.
Prof. Dora Akunyili, the incorruptible Minister of Information and Communication is not happy about the misadministration of the Nigerian Film Corporation since the appointment of Mr. Adesanya and would ensure that the management of the film body must be above board from henceforth.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Robert Amsterdam: Nasir el-Rufai Has No More Questions To Answer!
An Interview with Robert Amsterdam on the International Defense Team of Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai, Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR), the former Minister of Abuja Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Nigeria resigned the appointment in June 2008.
Nasir el-Rufai
Q 1: Sir, on 30 April and 7 May 2008, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai appeared before the Nigerian's Senate Committee on Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FTC), to answer questions on his tenure as minister of the FTC, how have you found out that the allegations of bribery and corruption against your client Mallam Nasir Ahmad EL-Rufai are spurious?
I read his testimony before the senate, which totaled approximately 100 pages. Further, I must say that in my 30 years of practicing international law, rare is the situation when governments truly attack people who have committed real crimes with so much fanfare and publicity. In my experience dealing with these cases, I have found that the more politicians publicize alleged wrongdoing in attempts to slander and develop a particular narrative about individuals, the less substance there are to these types of allegations. I must confess to having had the privilege of knowing my client prior to being retained on this matter. These allegations ran so contrary to my experience with this individual that I performed my own independent investigation. That investigation revealed a continuous pattern of legislative harassment of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai that dated back to 2002. This history included his sworn testimony which he made publically and under oath concerning malfeasance within the body of the Senate itself. Am I surprised by the present goings on against my client? Absolutely not.
Q 2: Why has he disobeyed court orders as he bluntly stated that?
"Let it be clear that nobody will keep me out of Nigeria. I will return home at the completion of my course of study at Harvard. I have no desire to seek Asylum but would not be stampeded to abandoning my studies to make the government happy."
My understanding is just to the contrary. He has provided voluminous testimony and appointed individuals in his place to answer further questions. From reading various press conferences and threats that have been made, my impression quite frankly is that those individuals who cast aspersions on this man’s character fear his return and are doing everything possible to make that eventuality uncertain.
Q 3: Mrs. Farida Waziri., Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said that her Commission has the right to extradite Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai. Is she right or wrong?
I would respectfully disagree. There are a tremendous number of allegations spoken at various press conferences that appear to have been dealt with in their entirety by the sworn testimony of my client.
Q 4: Why should Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai use his undergoing a course of study at Harvard University as an excuse to refuse a legal summons on the charges of abuse of office and corruption in Nigeria?
My client has answered fully all of these allegations time and time again. His course of study will be over and he will be able to dedicate even more time to re-answer these charges. The ongoing political attacks on my client and the obvious intent to cause him harm leads me to ask of your readers what the intent of this campaign against El-Rufai and other reformers such as Nuhu Ribadu, really is.
Q 5: The International Defense Team of Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai has been making his case more controversial by calling it a political campaign against him. Why and how is it a political campaign when the EFCC is not prosecuting him as a politician, but as a former civil servant?
What makes this case political is the inherent bias and prejudgment that was reflected in the Senate’s and EFCC’s attitude toward El-Rufai. Bluntly, certain individuals have an improper purpose, clearly harboring a long-standing enmity toward my client. I confess that it appears that this enmity has stopped them from a detailed analysis of the fulsome response provided by El-Rufai. Simply because El-Rufai was a public servant does not deny him the right to equality before the law and equal protection by the law. He has no where waived these rights.
Q 6: If Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai was indeed an incorruptible public servant whilst in office, why is he afraid of returning to Nigeria to defend himself on the alleged misappropriation of about N32 billion from the sale of Federal Government Houses in Abuja?
My client has made it clear that when he left office, these monies were not missing. He has shown absolutely no fear by testifying before the Senate and fully answering all questions. As his lawyer I have tremendous concerns given the public statements made in Nigeria to date as to whether he could ever have a fair trial with respect to any allegation given the nature of the public attacks that have been made on his good name.
Q 7: The President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), is included in your International Defense Team and will defend Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai on the eight-count charge against him by the EFCC, so don’t you think it would be inappropriate to go on with the uncivil public statements accusing the Nigerian government of political victimization?
The long series of personal attacks, prejudicial distortions of findings, and numerous press conferences necessitate a public response. Those who are intent upon destroying my client’s reputation have not waited for their day in court. Nor shall we.
Thank you for granting us this important interview.
About Robert R. Amsterdam
Robert R. Amsterdam
Conducted by Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Nigerians Report.com
Nasir el-Rufai
Q 1: Sir, on 30 April and 7 May 2008, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai appeared before the Nigerian's Senate Committee on Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FTC), to answer questions on his tenure as minister of the FTC, how have you found out that the allegations of bribery and corruption against your client Mallam Nasir Ahmad EL-Rufai are spurious?
I read his testimony before the senate, which totaled approximately 100 pages. Further, I must say that in my 30 years of practicing international law, rare is the situation when governments truly attack people who have committed real crimes with so much fanfare and publicity. In my experience dealing with these cases, I have found that the more politicians publicize alleged wrongdoing in attempts to slander and develop a particular narrative about individuals, the less substance there are to these types of allegations. I must confess to having had the privilege of knowing my client prior to being retained on this matter. These allegations ran so contrary to my experience with this individual that I performed my own independent investigation. That investigation revealed a continuous pattern of legislative harassment of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai that dated back to 2002. This history included his sworn testimony which he made publically and under oath concerning malfeasance within the body of the Senate itself. Am I surprised by the present goings on against my client? Absolutely not.
Q 2: Why has he disobeyed court orders as he bluntly stated that?
"Let it be clear that nobody will keep me out of Nigeria. I will return home at the completion of my course of study at Harvard. I have no desire to seek Asylum but would not be stampeded to abandoning my studies to make the government happy."
My understanding is just to the contrary. He has provided voluminous testimony and appointed individuals in his place to answer further questions. From reading various press conferences and threats that have been made, my impression quite frankly is that those individuals who cast aspersions on this man’s character fear his return and are doing everything possible to make that eventuality uncertain.
Q 3: Mrs. Farida Waziri., Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said that her Commission has the right to extradite Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai. Is she right or wrong?
I would respectfully disagree. There are a tremendous number of allegations spoken at various press conferences that appear to have been dealt with in their entirety by the sworn testimony of my client.
Q 4: Why should Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai use his undergoing a course of study at Harvard University as an excuse to refuse a legal summons on the charges of abuse of office and corruption in Nigeria?
My client has answered fully all of these allegations time and time again. His course of study will be over and he will be able to dedicate even more time to re-answer these charges. The ongoing political attacks on my client and the obvious intent to cause him harm leads me to ask of your readers what the intent of this campaign against El-Rufai and other reformers such as Nuhu Ribadu, really is.
Q 5: The International Defense Team of Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai has been making his case more controversial by calling it a political campaign against him. Why and how is it a political campaign when the EFCC is not prosecuting him as a politician, but as a former civil servant?
What makes this case political is the inherent bias and prejudgment that was reflected in the Senate’s and EFCC’s attitude toward El-Rufai. Bluntly, certain individuals have an improper purpose, clearly harboring a long-standing enmity toward my client. I confess that it appears that this enmity has stopped them from a detailed analysis of the fulsome response provided by El-Rufai. Simply because El-Rufai was a public servant does not deny him the right to equality before the law and equal protection by the law. He has no where waived these rights.
Q 6: If Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai was indeed an incorruptible public servant whilst in office, why is he afraid of returning to Nigeria to defend himself on the alleged misappropriation of about N32 billion from the sale of Federal Government Houses in Abuja?
My client has made it clear that when he left office, these monies were not missing. He has shown absolutely no fear by testifying before the Senate and fully answering all questions. As his lawyer I have tremendous concerns given the public statements made in Nigeria to date as to whether he could ever have a fair trial with respect to any allegation given the nature of the public attacks that have been made on his good name.
Q 7: The President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), is included in your International Defense Team and will defend Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai on the eight-count charge against him by the EFCC, so don’t you think it would be inappropriate to go on with the uncivil public statements accusing the Nigerian government of political victimization?
The long series of personal attacks, prejudicial distortions of findings, and numerous press conferences necessitate a public response. Those who are intent upon destroying my client’s reputation have not waited for their day in court. Nor shall we.
Thank you for granting us this important interview.
About Robert R. Amsterdam
Robert R. Amsterdam
In his 25 years of practice, Robert R. Amsterdam has handled numerous international business disputes and in a variety of emerging markets. With an active trade and subsidy practice, Amsterdam has both defended and prosecuted cases for and against governments and corporations. Canadian Lawyer says of Amsterdam that he is "one of the few lawyers in the world [good at] taking on the state when the state starts acting like a criminal."
Amsterdam has worked in countries as diverse as Hungary, Nigeria, Venezuela, and Guatemala and is deeply experienced with politically sensitive cases. Highly regarded for his strategic innovation and international reach, Amsterdam was retained by the Russian corporation YUKOS-Group MENATEP in 2003 for the defence of former CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky - one of the most high profile cases in modern Russian history.
He co-founded the Toronto-based law firm Amsterdam & Peroff with Dean A. Peroff in 1980 and has represented well-known global corporations including PriceWaterhouseCoopers and the Four Seasons Hotel Group. Amsterdam has delivered speeches at organisations such as the Carnegie Endowment, the Fraser Institute and the International Commission of Jurists and has debriefed parliamentarians and NGO leaders on a variety of political, legal, and business issues. His expert legal commentary is frequently featured in the media, and he has appeared in the American press Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, the UK press the Financial Times, Guardian, German press Die Press, Tagesspiegel, the French press Le Monde amongst others, and was prominently featured in a BBC documentary. Robert has also written many legal and scholarly articles including the recent article which he co-authored and was published in the Fordham Journal - "The duality of state co-operation within international and national criminal cases". Amsterdam also has a successful blog www.robertamsterdam.com.
London's The Lawyer magazine named Robert Amsterdam one of the Hot 100 Attorneys in the UK for 2005.
He is a member of the Canadian, New York and International Bar Associations. He earned his BA from Carleton University in Ottawa and studied law at Queens University in Ontario (LLB).
Conducted by Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Nigerians Report.com
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