• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
  • E-Book
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
  • E-Book
Home Anti-Corruption How EFCC Recovered N75m from ex-Minister’s wife – Testimony of Anti-Corruption Operative
  • Anti-Corruption

How EFCC Recovered N75m from ex-Minister’s wife – Testimony of Anti-Corruption Operative

By
Prnigeria
-
January 27, 2021
EFCC
EFCC Operatives

How EFCC Recovered N75m from ex-Minister’s wife – Anti-Corruption Operative

An operative with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mr Bello Hamma-Adama told a federal high court in Abuja that a sum of N75 million was recovered from Halima Tanimu Turaki, wife of a former Minister for Special Duties and Inter Governmental Affairs.

Tanimu Turaki was a Minister in the President Goodluck Jonathan-led government between 2013 and 2015.

He also served as supervising Minister for Federal Ministry of Labour between 2014 and 2015.

Hamma-Adama, the 5th prosecution witness (PW5) in the ongoing trial of Turaki, made the disclosure before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The EFCC had arraigned the former Minister (1st defendant) alongside his former Special Assistant, Sampson Okpetu (2nd defendant), and two firms; Samtee Essentials Ltd and Pasco Investment Ltd, on 16 counts of money laundering.

Although the duo pleaded not guilty to the charges, the anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants used the companies to launder fund totally about N845 million stolen from the two ministries where the minister held sway under the then administration.

While being led in evidence-in-chief by counsel to the EFCC, Mohammed Abubakar, the witness said about N359 million was moved from the Ministry of Special Duties for a sensitisation project for the government.

Hamma-Adama, who was the lead investigator in the agency, however. said the money was later transferred in tranches into private individuals’ accounts.

Giving the breakdown, he said N45 million was transferred to the Minister’s brother, Abdullahi Maigwandu, through his Zenith Bank account.

Out of the N45 million, he said Maigwandu transfered N20 million to the Guarantee Trust Bank account of Halima Tanimu Turaki, the ex-minister’s wife.

According to the PW5, the sum of N20 million was transferred to O-Pec Nig Ltd.

He said the remaining N5 million was withdrawn in China using the ATM of Maigwandu by Halima to procure furniture items.

“N30 million was transfered to Abubakar Sani Gude’s Zenith Bank account from the ministry’s account and the N30 million was sent to the wife of the 1st defendant (Turaki),” he said.

Read Also:

  • Tinubu: Shuttle Diplomacy and the Power of Showing Up
  • MAAUN Public Health Students Host Seminar to Combat Drug Abuse and Preventable Diseases
  • FutureMap Graduates Over 1,000 Students from STEAM Camp in Jigawa

Hamma-Adama said when Maigwandu was invited for interrogation, he confessed that the money came from the ministry and he neither had any business with the ministry nor engaged in any sensitisation exercise.

The witness said Maigwandu, who is a civil servant in Kebbi with monthly salary of N33, 000, also told the EFCC that the N45 million was received by the Minister’s wife.

“We called for the Maigwandu’s account statement in Zenith Bank. We discovered he is a civil servant in Kebbi on salary of about N33, 000.

“We suspected a case of money laundering and we did a network analysis and we discovered that he could not have owned that money because he is on N33, 000 salary,” the PW5 said.

He said Maigwandu told the investigators that every money in that account belonged to Turaki, except his salary.

“He said he is a brother to the former minister and that the money was transferred on his instruction,” the EFCC operative added.

Hamma-Adama hinted that as at the time the N45 million was transferred to Maigwandu, he was having about N7, 300 in his account.

He said with all the information gathered, Halima was invited to their office.

“She came alongside the 1st defendant (her husband) and a lawyer.

“On video, she mentioned that the transaction was done at her instance. She said she is a house wife.

“She said she was not a contractor with the Ministry of Special Duties. She said she did not carry out any sensitisation exercise for the ministry.

“We ask if she knows Gode and Gwandu and she said she did.

“She said the transaction was her transaction and it was done on her instructions,” the witness said.

Hamma-Adama, who told the court that Halima, through her lawyer, Abdulaziz Ibrahim, who is presently representing the 3rd defendant in the ongoing trial, refunded the sum of N75 million to the EFCC.

The PW5 also said that the sum of N50 million was transferred to Abdulrahman Yusuf, a bureau de change operator, who is a friend and business associate of Turaki.

He said Yusuf did some transfers to the former Minister and also transferred N20 million to the 2nd defendant’s company, Samtee Essentials Ltd.

The witness said Yusuf, who had several bank accounts, also confessed that he did not carry out any sensitisation programme for the ministry because he was not in line of such business.

Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until Feb. 9 and Feb. 10 for trial continuation.

By PRNigeria

VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa/
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
  • TAGS
  • efcc
  • Tanimu Turaki
Previous articleThe Pioneer Kwara Grand Khadi, Justice Orire is Dead
Next articleCourt Admits More Evidence Against Naira Marley  
Prnigeria
Prnigeria
https://prnigeria.com
PRNigeria is the pioneer Press Release Distribution agency in Nigeria. A member of image Merchant Promotions limited, PRNigeria encourages individuals and organisations to be more transparent in their information management. with dedicated Editorial staffs, the PRNigeria ensures that information provided on its platforms are timely, factual and authoritative Read more at: //prnigeria.com/about/
Facebook Twitter

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Tinubu: Shuttle Diplomacy and the Power of Showing Up

Nigerian Air Force new Headquarters

Badaru Hails NAF’s Vision, Commissions New Headquarters Annex in Abuja

How Irabor’s Book Launch Became National Security Summit as Obasanjo, Jonathan, Kukah, Sultan Spoke on Boko Haram

GWA Award Winners 2025

PHOTOS: Nigeria Customs, IMPR Bag Back-to-Back Golden World Award at IPRA 70th Anniversary

Customs, NCC Strengthen Alliance on Device Monitoring, Security, Public Safety

EFCC Arrests 42 Suspected Internet Fraudsters, Recovers Laptops, Phones in Yobe

Military Foils Terrorist Attacks, Rescues Victims, Dismantles Hideouts in Sokoto, Kebbi

ICPC

ICPC Rises to 3rd Place in Transparency Index, Records Historic Leap in Integrity Score

Nigeria and the Genocide Lie That Refuses to Die By Kabir Abdulsalam

FULL TEXT INDEPENDENCE SPEECH: Tinubu Hails Nigeria’s Progress at 65 Tinubu, Lists Achievements, Promises Brighter Future

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Nigeria @ 65: Tinubu Hails Armed Forces, Claims Victory Over Boko Haram, IPOB, Bandits

Bayo Onanuga: Between Bolekaja Publicity and Public Relations

Recent Posts

  • Tinubu: Shuttle Diplomacy and the Power of Showing Up
  • MAAUN Public Health Students Host Seminar to Combat Drug Abuse and Preventable Diseases
  • FutureMap Graduates Over 1,000 Students from STEAM Camp in Jigawa
  • Finally, Tinubu’s Embattled Minister Resigns Amid Certificate Scandal
  • Tinubu Confers National Honour on Outgoing INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
Latest News
Tinubu: Shuttle Diplomacy and the Power of Showing UpMAAUN Public Health Students Host Seminar to Combat Drug Abuse and Preventable DiseasesFutureMap Graduates Over 1,000 Students from STEAM Camp in JigawaFinally, Tinubu's Embattled Minister Resigns Amid Certificate ScandalTinubu Confers National Honour on Outgoing INEC Chairman Mahmood YakubuArmy Partners Media to Tackle Fake News, Boost National SecurityBadaru Hails NAF’s Vision, Commissions New Headquarters Annex in AbujaJUST IN: INEC Boss Prof. Yakubu Hands Over Leadership to Acting ChairTroops Repel Terrorists Attacks in Borno, Launch Rescue Operation for Abducted VillagersCAN Refutes ‘Christian Genocide’ Claims, Says Violence in Nigeria Affects All FaithsAlleged Certificate Forgery: Why Uche Nnaji Must Resign or Get Fired ImmediatelyPantami Foundation Graduates 250 Gombe Youths in Tech, EntrepreneurshipTinubu Orders NAHCON to Reduce 2026 Hajj FaresSecurity Operatives Nab Influencers Over Defamatory Campaign Against Senator Shehu BubaArmy Dislodges Bandits in Taraba Forests Under Operation Lafiya Nakowa
X whatsapp