Agency arrests NBC boss, Emeka Mba over alleged N15bn fraud

monjola sotubo

January 12, 2016 1:44 PM

The NBC under Mba is said to have illegally sold a public broadcasting spectrum worth N34 billion to a telecoms company without properly accounting for the money.

NBC DG, Prince Emeka Mba

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, January 11, 2016 arrested the Director General of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Emeka Mba on allegations of fraud to the tune of N15 billion.

The NBC under Mba is said to have illegally sold a public broadcasting spectrum worth N34 billion to a telecoms company without properly accounting for the money, according to Vanguard.

The EFCC has reportedly been investigating the NBC for about a month after the commission’s name appeared frequently in the ongoing $2.1 billion arms deal fraud probe.

“Yes, he (Mr. Mba) is with us. We are investigating massive diversion of public funds and we’re making progress. Mba definitely has questions to answer,” an EFCC source told Premium Times.

An official of the NBC also spoke to Vanguard on the EFCC investigation.

“The EFCC came back to NBC on Friday after their first visit on Monday but I do not know the details of what they came for but I am aware that it was not unconnected with the ongoing arms cash investigation,” the official said.

“When they came, they went straight to see our DG, who was not around but they dropped a message for him that he was wanted in EFCC office. Today, I have been trying to get information about the whereabouts of the DG because he is not in the office now.

“I don’t know the details of the matter. I suspect that the EFCC might have resorted to interrogate the DG because they felt that person they met last week didn’t have the right information they are looking for.

“The office has been very quiet since morning. Like I told you, they are still investigating the financial transaction they saw in the account of the company they are investigating in connection with Dasukigate,” the official added.

The $2.1 billion fraud is alleged to have been supervised by former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki.

Dasuki was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) on December 1, 2015 and handed over to the EFCC the day after.

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The former NSA is reported to have implicated several prominent persons in the deal including former governors, ex-ministers and members of the PDP.

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Dasuki’s lawyer however denied the report that his client had become an informant while the former NSA said that Jonathan was aware of the transactions he had made.

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Jonathan has however denied authorizing the release of the stated funds despite the former NSA’s claim that he got the necessary presidential approval for the transactions.

Dasuki was released on bail from Kuje Prison in December 2015 but was soon re-arrested by the DSS.

monjola sotubo

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