EFCC arrests Anyim for receiving N520m from Dasuki

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested a
former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim,
for allegedly collecting N520m from the embattled former National
Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), on the eve of the 2015
presidential election.

The EFCC also accused the former SGF of giving N13bn contracts
to companies linked to him. The money was said to be part of the
N58bn Ecological Fund he handled while he was the SGF between 2011
and 2015.

Anyim, who also served as the Senate President from 2000 to
2003, is the most senior former government official ever to be
arrested by the EFCC.

A source at the EFCC said Anyim was previously invited by the
anti-graft agency but he refused to show up.

The commission was said to have obtained a search warrant and
stormed his house on Thursday evening and searched the entire house
and arrested him.

The source said, “Anyim was arrested on Thursday, November 16,
by operatives of the anti-graft agency after he failed to honour a
10 am appointment by the agency. The arrest took Anyim by surprise
as the EFCC team, armed with a warrant, immediately executed a
search on the property during which they recovered documents
relevant to the investigation.

“Anyim is accused of abuse of office, misappropriation of public
funds and money laundering. Apart from false assets declaration, he
received N520m from the ONSA on the eve of the 2015 general
elections for unclear reasons and he also used proxies and
companies in which he had interest to corner contracts from the
Ecological Fund.”

The source said Anyim allegedly awarded contracts to some
companies linked to him through which ecological funds were
diverted.

The companies include: Foundation Years Limited, Precious
Integrated, Precious Petroleum, Mak & Mak, Chap Construction,
Eldyke Engineering, Pryke Limited, Chipa Nigeria Limited, Prima A11
Limited, Pima International, Chanto Engineering, Ishiagu
Microfinance Bank, Mulak Ventures, Vitro Engineering and Tip Top
Nigeria.

The source added, “Anyim was SGF from May 2011 to May 29, 2015.
During this period, specifically from May 2012 to May 2015, the SGF
Ecological Fund Account with the Central Bank of Nigeria received
an inflow of N58, 146,983,677.85.

“From this fund, three of the companies linked to Anyim —
Foundation Years, Obis Associate and Eldyke Engineering — received
contracts worth over N13bn. Foundation Years alone received a net
payment of N10,308,017,838.85 between 2014 and 2015.

“Curiously, on receiving the fund, Foundation Years and another
Anyim company, Br-Kthru, made several transfers to 37 entities.
Some of the organisations and individuals have no nexus at all with
ecological issues. Investigators are probing the reasons behind the
wild disbursement.”

A House of Representatives panel had in March asked the EFCC and
the Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate Anyim and a former FCT
Minister, Bala Mohammed, over the Centenary City project.

The committee said the two agencies should ascertain the role
played by both the former SGF and the ex-minister in the promotion
and selection of investor as well as management of the entire
project.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested a
former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim,
for allegedly collecting N520m from the embattled former National
Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), on the eve of the 2015
presidential election.

The EFCC also accused the former SGF of giving N13bn contracts
to companies linked to him. The money was said to be part of the
N58bn Ecological Fund he handled while he was the SGF between 2011
and 2015.

Anyim, who also served as the Senate President from 2000 to
2003, is the most senior former government official ever to be
arrested by the EFCC.

A source at the EFCC said Anyim was previously invited by the
anti-graft agency but he refused to show up.

The commission was said to have obtained a search warrant and
stormed his house on Thursday evening and searched the entire house
and arrested him.

The source said, “Anyim was arrested on Thursday, November 16,
by operatives of the anti-graft agency after he failed to honour a
10 am appointment by the agency. The arrest took Anyim by surprise
as the EFCC team, armed with a warrant, immediately executed a
search on the property during which they recovered documents
relevant to the investigation.

“Anyim is accused of abuse of office, misappropriation of public
funds and money laundering. Apart from false assets declaration, he
received N520m from the ONSA on the eve of the 2015 general
elections for unclear reasons and he also used proxies and
companies in which he had interest to corner contracts from the
Ecological Fund.”

The source said Anyim allegedly awarded contracts to some
companies linked to him through which ecological funds were
diverted.

The companies include: Foundation Years Limited, Precious
Integrated, Precious Petroleum, Mak & Mak, Chap Construction,
Eldyke Engineering, Pryke Limited, Chipa Nigeria Limited, Prima A11
Limited, Pima International, Chanto Engineering, Ishiagu
Microfinance Bank, Mulak Ventures, Vitro Engineering and Tip Top
Nigeria.

The source added, “Anyim was SGF from May 2011 to May 29, 2015.
During this period, specifically from May 2012 to May 2015, the SGF
Ecological Fund Account with the Central Bank of Nigeria received
an inflow of N58, 146,983,677.85.

“From this fund, three of the companies linked to Anyim —
Foundation Years, Obis Associate and Eldyke Engineering — received
contracts worth over N13bn. Foundation Years alone received a net
payment of N10,308,017,838.85 between 2014 and 2015.

“Curiously, on receiving the fund, Foundation Years and another
Anyim company, Br-Kthru, made several transfers to 37 entities.
Some of the organisations and individuals have no nexus at all with
ecological issues. Investigators are probing the reasons behind the
wild disbursement.”

A House of Representatives panel had in March asked the EFCC and
the Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate Anyim and a former FCT
Minister, Bala Mohammed, over the Centenary City project.

The committee said the two agencies should ascertain the role
played by both the former SGF and the ex-minister in the promotion
and selection of investor as well as management of the entire
project.