MAGUGATE: GROUP CALLS FOR ARREST AND PROSECUTION OF LADI BALOGUN
With the ongoing investigation of the embattled former anti corruption czar, Ibrahim Magu of the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, more damning revelations have been exposed.
Following this development, some stakeholders in the Nigeria Project; under the aegis of The Good Governance and Accountability Monitors Group, has expressed its deep worries over the recent statement and comments accredited to the Chief Executive officer of the First City Monument Bank, Ahmed Nuru.
The Good Governance and Accountability Monitors Group, in a statement issued and signed by Messrs Opeolumi Adeniyi and Iaiah Moses; Coordinator and Secretary respectively, said the group is shocked over the ongoing revelations in the Presidential Panel setup by the President to investigate the activities of the former EFCC acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu.
According to the group in their statement, Ahmed Nuru’s comments are self-indicting of his Bank wherein, he had said during his appearance before the Justice Ayo Salami Presidential panel, that his bank ‘mistakenly paid the sum of #473m into the account of Prophet Emmanuel Omale’.
“We, as concerned Nigerians and members of the Good Governance and Accountability Monitors Group, hereby reiterate and demand for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the Chairman of First City Monument Bank, FCMB, Ladi Balogun who has allowed his bank to be a platform that is used in aiding and abetting corruption especially in our banking sector”.
“The fact that somebody of the position of Ibrahim Magu, who before his disgraceful fall, was head of the nation’s anti-corruption agency can be found wanting for financial malfeasance, speaks volumes”.
“As Nigerians and stakeholders in the drive to rescue our beloved country from the precipice it is being pushed to, we are worried that Mr. Ladi Balogun would shamelessly and without considerations to the fight against corruption, expose the FCMB to such ridicule and then claim that his bank mistakenly credited an account with such humungous amount of money and, only realized after four years that such an amount was paid into the wrong account”, the statement read.
“We are therefore, compelled to demand from the Nigerian Government; especially the Presidency that it compels Messrs Ahmed Nuru and Ladi Balogun that they provides answers to these questions”.
1. Who provided the account details that the said #573m (five hundred and seventy three million) was paid into and, who approved the transaction?
2. Who was the officer that verified the account?
3. Is Ladi Balogun telling Nigerians that his bank did not carry out internal and external audit of its accounts and banks since 2016?
4. Why did it take Ladi Balogun and his board, four years to realize that his organization credited a wrong account with such a huge sum?
5. Whose bank account was the amount debited and how is it that the owner of the said account failed to notice such a huge withdrawal and transaction?
6. Is this not a self-indictment of the management of the capabilities of the Ladi Balogun owned FCMB that it is involved in money laundering and financial crimes?
7. Why was the NFIU, CBN, NDIC and other relevant agencies that monitor financial transactions not informed of the transaction which is a part of banking regulations?
8. Is Mr. Ladi Balogun trying to cover up such humungous financial malfeasance, using his position as CEO and why?
9. Will the Justice Ayo Salami Presidential panel allow for this wicked and heinous crime be swept under the carpet, during his watch?
“We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to protect our banking sector by ensuring that our funds are protected and immediately direct the EFCC, NFIU, DSS to instigate an immediate probe of Mr. Ladi Balogun and Ahmed Nuru”.
“We also call on both Houses of the National Assembly; the Senate and the House of Representatives to immediately, on resumption hold a Public Hearing to look into this criminality against the collective well-being of Nigerians as it affects the sacredness of our financial institutions that have now been turned into a conduit pipe for the laundering of our resources, the Ladi Balogun run FCMB”.
“Also, the Minority Leaders in both Houses of the NASS should, as a matter of national emergency, ensure that this financial sleaze by the FCMB, under the eyes of Ladi Balogun is thoroughly investigated and all those involved and found culpable, be prosecuted immediately”.
“We are also appealing to Mr. President to save us the shame and embarrassment that has trailed the statement credited to Ahmed Nuru and the Ladi Balogun led FCMB”.
“Four years without recognizing the “mistake” is a self-indictment of the culpability of FCMB and Mr. Ladi Balogun in the series of money laundering and financial crimes that must have been committed by the CEO of FCMB under his watch”, the group said.
“The Good Governance and Accountability Monitors Group again demands that this crime is investigated to its conclusive end and all those found culpable are arrested and prosecuted”.
“Enough of the shame and embarrassment to our dear country, Nigeria”, the statement concluded.
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