former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Patrick Akpobolokemi.
There are strong indications that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arrested the former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Patrick Akpobolokemi on Monday, following incriminating evidence that linked him to a series of bloated contract sums awarded to former Niger Delta militant leader, Tom Ekpemupolo, by the agency.
Akpobolokemi was re-arrested immediately after his trial was adjourned by Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos, where, alongside five others, he was facing criminal charges to the tune of N2.3 billion filed against them by the EFCC.
EFCC spokesman, Wilson Iwujaren, told Daily Trust on phone yesterday that the former NIMASA boss was arrested based on his alleged involvement in another case.
According to Iwujaren, there were various fraud cases involving Akpobolokemi which the agency was investigating.
“Some of the fraud cases are connected to his link with Tompolo. You know that the agency is also investigating Tompolo. Akpobolokemi was arrested in connection with some of the cases,” he said.
But in a press statement issued later yesterday, Iwujaren said Akpobolokemi was again arrested for fresh allegations of fraud to the tune of N12.9bn.
“Akpobolokemi’s arrest is on the strength of fresh evidence that he allegedly converted the sum of N11.7bn and another N816m totalling N12,9bn meant for the development of the temporary site of the proposed Nigerian Maritime University, Kurutie, Warri South LGA of Delta State for his personal use,” he said.
The suspect was said to have obtained a presidential approval of N13 billion through the Office of the then National Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki for the acquisition and development of a temporary site for the Nigerian Maritime University.
Out of the total approved amount, N11.7bn was allegedly paid into a company suspected to be owned by Chief Government Oweize Ekpemopolo a.k.a Tompolo.
After the said money was paid, investigation showed that N6 billion was moved into another account belonging to one of the associates of the indicted DG.
Also, N816 million allegedly obtained through a presidential approval for the Voluntary International Maritime Organisation Members State Audit (VIMSA) implementation in Nigeria, was allegedly diverted for Akpobolokemi’s personal use.
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