Obanikoro In Fresh Trouble Over N1.2Bn Collected For Conceding Defeat To Agbaje

Former Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro is facing fresh woes over alleged N4.7bn allocated to him through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Presidency, The Nation reported.

Before now, Obanikoro was under the investigation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged N4.685bn that the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) allegedly transferred to Sylvan McNamara Limited, a company linked to him.

The former minister had been guest of the anti-graft agency for weeks over the slush fund, claiming he transferred about N3.880 billion from the sum to both Governor Ayodele Fayose and Senator Iyiola Omisore through cash and bank transactions.

He had also refunded N100.4m from his own share to the EFCC, and had signed an undertaking to return about N480m.

But the latest report, claimed Obanikoro is facing a fresh probe bordering on N3.5b and N1.2b he allegedly received from the Office of the National Security Adviser.

The two sums were given to him as campaign fund for the 2015 general election in Lagos, and for conceding defeat to the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje respectively.

“Obanikoro is under fresh probe on some cash advanced to him personally by ONSA and the presidency for the 2015 poll. The funds include alleged N3.5bn for Operation Capture Lagos and a personal loss reimbursement of N1.2bn.

“After Jimi Agbaje became Lagos governorship candidate, Obanikoro was not only returned as a minister, his expenses during primaries, amounting to about N1.2bh, were refunded to him.

“He personally submitted the bill and he was reimbursed by the presidency,” the paper quoted a source in the EFCC as saying.