NIA Didn’t Get Ikoyi Cash From CBN — Okorafor
The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has dismissed insinuations that the N13 billion discovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in a luxury apartment at Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos was moved directly from the bank to the National Intelligence Agency, NIA.
The amount was the total of the $42 million, £27,000 and N23 million recovered from the apartment.
The CBN’s reaction came against the backdrop of reports that the NIA claimed that it got the money from the CBN.
This is even as the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State yesterday described as mischievous, allegations by the trio of Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, and Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, that the Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, was owner of the $43 billion recovered from the Ikoyi apartment.
Also yesterday, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, demanded a public apology, in addition to the sums of N750 million and N500 million respectively from former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, and media aide to Ekiti Governor, Lere Olayinka, for linking him with the Ikoyi, Lagos cash stash.
Asked to clarify the CBN’s role in the disbursement of the funds, spokesman of the bank, Isaac Okorafor, told online portal, Premium Times, that the apex bank deals directly with banks and not government agencies or individuals.
He said: “It is true the Central Bank of Nigeria issues mint-fresh notes, but it is only to banks. After that (issuance to banks), CBN does not know which of their customers they (the banks) give those notes to and for what purpose.
“I cannot say if the notes the NIA is claiming came from the CBN. So, I will not be able to answer questions on it for now, except I receive a specific request.”
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State has described as mischievous allegations by the trio of governors Nyesom Wike, Ayo Fayose and Mr Fani Kayode that the Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Amaechi was owner of the 43 billion dollars recovered at a luxury apartment in Lagos State.
Chairman of the party in the state, Dr Davies Ikanya, said the trio were just trying to tarnish the reputation of the former governor with the allegations, adding that Amaechi was also not the owner of the luxury apartment.
The statement, signed by media aide to the Chairman, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka, also dared Governor Wike to go ahead with his threat to drag the federal government to court over the money.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state that Amaechi has nothing to do with either the Ikoyi estate or the huge sums of money discovered there by EFCC.
“We urge Nigerians to ignore the antics of the likes of Wike, Fayose and Fani-Kayode. Now that the revealing facts before the public domain disassociate Amaechi from this, we, hereby, request the trio to formally apologise to Amaechi for this false accusation within two weeks or we may be left with no other option than to brief our lawyers accordingly.
“Meanwhile, we urge Wike and his confused government in Rivers State to carry out their threat to sue the Federal Government, if by the end of seven days the contentious huge sum is not returned to Rivers State government or else they should hide their ugly faces in shame if they should fail to do as threatened.”
However, Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, has filed a N500 million suit against Femi Fani-Kayode, a former minister of aviation, and Lere Olayinka, spokesman of Ayo Fayose, governor of Ekiti state.
The duo had accused Amaechi of owning the $43 million which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, found in the luxury apartment at Ikoyi.
In separate letters to Fani-Kayode and Olayinka, counsel to Amaechi, Lateef Fagbemi, said the allegations against his client were false. Fagbemi said his client had never owned a home in Lagos State, and that the “misleading information” was capable of tarnishing Amaechi’s reputation.
“The story as uploaded by you is to our knowledge, blatantly false, malicious and is aimed at impeaching the credit of our client, a two-time speaker of Rivers State of House of Assembly, a two-time governor of Rivers State and current minister of the federation.
“Our client neither owns the house where the cash was found and your story and claim are unfounded,’’ read a letter sent to both men. Amaechi’s counsel said the publication constituted a libel and was defamatory “aimed at impinging our client’s character and credit in the eyes of Nigerians and foreigners.’’
Reacting, Fani-Kayode in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Jude Ndukwe, said: “We have been inundated with calls concerning about a threat by Rotimi Amaechi to sue Chief Fani-Kayode for defamation over the $43 million issue.
‘’We are not in any sleep over this matter. We have not received any court processes or letters from Amaechi but when we do so, our lawyers will respond vigorously and appropriately.’’
Olayinka Also reacting to Amaechi’s suit, Special Assistant to Ekiti State Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said he was not aware of any suit originating from Mr Amaechi.
