ThisDay publisher gets two weeks to refund N670m to ONSA

The publisher of ThisDay Newspapers,  Mr Nduka Obaigbena has been given two weeks by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to refund the sum of N670m which he received from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, allegedly for nonexistent contracts.

According to the EFCC, the money is part of the $2.1b arms procurement fund for which former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col Sambo Dasuki is being prosecuted.

Obaigbena told investigators that the money was paid on the orders of former President Goodluck Jonathan to  ThisDay and the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria, NPAN as compensation for the bombing of the newspaper house by Boko Haram and the seizure of massive copies of various newspapers by the military.

However, a reliable EFCC source said that the anti graft agency could not find the nexus between the money Obaigbena received and the reasons adduced.

“What we are investigating is General Hydrocarbons. Records from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) indicated that Nduka Obaigbena is a director of the company.

“ONSA reported that General Hydrocarbons was one of the companies that received payments purportedly for contracts without contract documents or approval.

“Between December 8, 2014 and May 23, 2015, Obaigbena received N670million from ONSA. The reasons stated on the payment mandates are as follows:
First tranche of N150 million (environmental security project) and the remaining tranches (payment for energy consultancy)

“Obaigbena said he was paid compensation of N550 million for the bombing of “ ThisDay” office in Abuja but there is no nexus between this payment and the money he collected for contracts. None of the sums shows that what he got from ONSA was compensation.

“The complaint before us is that the company was given money without contractual agreement.

“By all records, Obaigbena was paid for unexecuted contracts. It is government’s funds and he has to refund the N670million, “ the source said.

Another source at the agency said that the publisher has agreed to refund the N670m.

“The EFCC has given Obaigbena a maximum of two weeks to refund the amount he collected from ONSA.

“Obaigbena has signed an undertaking to refund the money in question. The anti-graft commission has also granted him an administrative bail,” he said.