N247bn corruption probe: Diezani’s ally, Omokore returns N200m to govt

The Chairman of Atlantic Energy
Drilling Concept Nigeria Limited , Mr.
Jide Omokore , has returned N200 m to
the Federal Government, Sunday
PUNCH has learnt .
It was learnt that the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission has also
traced and frozen eight bank accounts
allegedly belonging to Omokore.
Reliable sources in the commission
told our correspondent that the eight
accounts were opened at different
branches of Skye Bank Plc.
Omokore, who is an ally of the
immediate past Minister of Petroleum
Resources, Diezani Alison - Madueke,
among five others, are currently
standing trial before a Federal High
Court for an alleged $ 800 m (N247 bn
at an exchange rate of N 309 / $ 1 ) fraud .
A top source at the commission said ,
“ During investigations, we traced
about eight accounts to Omokore in
Skye Bank. Most of the accounts are
company accounts . Some were
domiciled in Marina , Adeola Hopewell
and some other branches on the
(Lagos) Island .
“ We were able to identify about
N200 m . He raised some bank drafts in
the name of the Federal Government
and the money has been deposited
into the Federal Government account
while investigations continue.”
The commission had on Monday , July
4 , 2016 , arraigned Omokore , and five
other individuals and firms , before
Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal
High Court, Abuja on nine counts
bordering on money laundering and
procurement fraud .
Those arraigned with him were a
former Managing Director of Nigerian
Petroleum Development Company
Limited , Victor Briggs ; a former Group
Executive Director , Exploration and
Production of the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation , Abiye
Membere ; a former Manager,
Planning and Commercial of the NNPC,
David Mbanefo ; Atlantic Energy Brass
Development Limited and Atlantic
Energy Drilling Concepts Limited .
Omokore was alleged to have used the
Strategic Alliance Agreement signed
between the NPDC and Atlantic Energy
Drilling Concept Limited to swindle
the NPDC and the Nigerian
government of billions of naira
through the lifting of crude oil from
some oil wells between March 2013
and May 2014.
The other accused persons , who were
senior management employees of the
NNPC, were accused of conspiracy in
inducing the NPDC to facilitate the
lifting of crude by Omokore , Atlantic
Energy Brass Development Limited
and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept
Limited .
They were equally charged with
receiving car gifts from Omokore ,
Atlantic Energy Brass Development
Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling
Concept Limited .
The charge read in part, “ That you,
Olajide Omokore , Atlantic Energy
Brass Development Ltd , Atlantic
Energy Drilling Concept Ltd and
Kolawole Akanni Aluko (now at large )
between May 2013 and March 2014
within the jurisdiction of this
honourable court obtained by false
pretences and with intent to defraud ,
7 ,551 , 867 barrels of crude oil (Brass
blend) valued at the sum of
$ 823 ,75 ,189 .95 from NPDC , NNPC and
the Federal Government of Nigeria on
the false pretences that you had funds
(both local and foreign) necessary to
support the NPDC in petroleum
operation for the OML 60 ,61 , 62 and
63 and you thereby committed an
offence contrary to Section 1 (a ) of the
Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud
Related Offences Act Cap . A6 , 2010 ,
Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and
punishable under Section 1 (3 ) of the
same Act. ”
The defendants pleaded not guilty to
the charges when they were read to
them .

    By oluwaseun Afolabi