EFCC Sets To Arraign Tompolo, Ex-NIMASA DG Over N11 Billion Property Scam

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Wednesday, January 20th, 2016

By Niyi Adeyi

The embattled former Director General (DG) of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi and ex-Niger Delta militant warlord, Government Ekpemupolo popularly known as Tompolo are in for another ordeal, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) is set to file fresh criminal charges, involving over N11 Billion against them.

EFCC in a statement issued Wednesday by its Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, is to prosecute the duo over an alleged scam in the acquisition of a property worth over N11, 765, 308, 339.80.

The property according to the anti-graft body was identified as Mieka Dive Institute, a sprawling expanse, purportedly acquired by NIMASA for the take-off of the Nigerian Maritime University.

The agency alleged it was approved for an outright purchase by the past administration in the sum of N13, 072,564,822.00, in which a sum of N11, 765, 308, 339.80 had been paid through NIMASA.

It said its investigations indicated that the fund was “fraudulently claimed through an alleged false presentation of a Certificate of Customary Right of Occupancy of the property and an alleged inflation of the property sum”.

“This is in addition to the fact that, the same property was allegedly wrongly acquired and wrongly purchased, as the Omadino Community of Delta State, the rightful owners of the property is making a demand for rightful payment of the same land” EFCC established.

Recall, Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, last week, ordered the arrest of Tompolo following his failure to appear before it for his arraignment over an alleged N34billion scam preferred against him, the ex-NIMASA boss and four other persons as well as their companies by the EFCC. The court then fixed February 8, 2016 for re-arraignment.