Arms Purchase Scam: Investigators Trace N650m to Thisday Publisher, Nduka Obaigbena

 

The team of investigators at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) looking into how the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) shared funds meant for fighting Boko Haram has detected another line of payment made to companies linked with Thisday publisher and owner of Arise TV, Nduka Obaigbena.

The investigators said Obaigbena received at least N650million from Dasuki for questionable transactions.

They also said that Obaigbena, who is also the Chairman of the Newspaper Proprietors Association Of Nigeria, has dropped out of sight since the discovery and all attempts at reaching him have failed, EFCC sources said.

Today, SaharaReporters reached Mr. Obaigbena, who said he was in New York.  He said that prior to his trip to New York, he had been at meetings in London, and will return to Nigeria when he is through with his visit to New York.

He admitted that his newspaper company received a letter from the EFCC and that a response had been sent to explain what they know about the case involving Raymond Dokpesi’s Daar Communications. Dokpesi was arrested last week, but he and his family have offered conflicting accounts about why he received billions of Naira from Dasuki.

Obaigbena told SaharaReporters he did not receive any monies from the former NSA, a point strongly disputed by EFCC investigators.