EFCC nabs FAAN Level 6 worker over N70m theft

*Agency suspends suspect

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) stormed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and arrested one Christy Olabode, a level grade 6 officer over diversion and theft of at least N70 million belonging to the agency.

Olabode, who works in the accounts department at the agency’s headquarters at Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), reportedly stole the funds by manipulating furniture allowances between 2013 and 2016.

The management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) confirmed the theft and said Olabode has been suspended for her involvement  in alleged diversion of funds from the agency for private use along with those indicted.

A statement from FAAN, the accused were said to have diverted the agency’s funds into different accounts of staff and others over certain period of time until they were discovered by the management.

The statement read in part, “Upon discovery, the management set up a committee, which investigated the major suspect who promptly named others involved in the fraud and they were swiftly suspended.

“It was when the committee drilled the main suspect who confessed that some of the monies were sent to her brother’s accounts, that prompted the management to further invite more suspects who were subsequently suspended.”

The EFCC operatives who got wind of the matter decided to investigate it and have detained the prime suspects.

FAAN has also concluded plans to set up audit team to further investigate financial transaction in the department.

The objective of the audit is to carry out investigation on the activities of the personnel in the accounts and commercial departments, to close all loopholes on the sources of revenues and to ensure that all revenues are captured and accounted for.

FAAN said after the audit it would further mondernise its accounting system, explore new ways to boost revenues and also to continuously monitor activities of its personnel involved in revenue generation and accounting.

It expressed the hope that EFCC would unravel the details of the fraud, punish those involved and also work with management to forestall such from happening again.

The agency said it is laden with huge responsibility to effectively manage the airports, fund the rehabilitation of many airport terminals and also complete on going work at some of the airport facilities under construction, so it needs more funds to effectively manage the airports.

It also said it is committed to the welfare of its workforce, to pay the workers when their salaries and allowances are due and to continue to improve on their welfare.

After the audit FAAN said it would adopt a policy of rotating its personnel in the accounts and commercial departments every two years so that no person would stay in one unit for more than that period of time, noting that people think of perpetrating fraud and all kinds of malfeasance when they stay too long in one post.

A source told our correspondent that the whole fraud was detected by the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) department earlier in July,” one of our sources disclosed. He added that FAAN management then issued a query to Olabode, disclosing that the alleged fraudster ignored the query.

One other source said the accused’s defiant attitude and the management’s failure to call in law enforcement agents have fuelled suspicion that “Olabode might have committed the financial fraud in collaboration with some top managers and directors in FAAN. These same managers and directors are trying frantically to thwart further investigation into the scam.”

The alleged fraud was said to have started during the scandal-prone tenure of Stella Oduah as Minister of Aviation.

WoleshadareNew obtained documents showing some of the names Ms. Olabode used to divert funds. In August 2013, the sum of N2,719,699.92 was lodged into an Eco Bank account, 2501016701, bearing the name of Paul Amaechi Ihedinihu, a GL 14 officer.

In December of the same year, a deposit of N2,719,699.92 was made into an account number, 0059963039, in the name of Bright E. Ogbonna at Access Bank. N2,719,699.92 was deposited in the name of Yahyah A. Sadiq in a Guaranty Trust Bank 0035237900; N1,493,903.52 into another Guaranty Trust Bank account, 0113269817, in the name of Yunus Olaniyan Agboola. Ms. Olabode also funneled N2,184,168.96 into a Diamond Bank account, 0031963629, in the name of Adamu Sanusi.

Other names used in the extensive scam included Hurso Muhammed Hurso, Nnamdi T. Onuchukwu, Haruna Umar, John Uwabuafia Ofodu, Godday Otunaya, Isaac Joel Okwodu, Blessing Inye Pepple, Habibu Abubakar Adamu, and Emmanual Gloria Ewoh.

Other banks in which illicit deposits were made included Oceanic Bank, Fidelity Bank, First City Monument Bank and First Bank.

Woleshadare.net learned that Olabode’s husband and brother work with FAAN.

Wole Shadare