EFCC quizzes pilot for flying Fayose’s N1.2bn cash

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has quizzed Captain
Ahmed Borodo, the pilot whose plane was allegedly chartered by a
former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, to
transport N1.219bn to Governor Ayodele Fayose.

The money was alleged to be part of the N4.7bn transferred from
the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser to the
bank account of Sylvan McNamara, a company allegedly owned by
Obanikoro’s two sons- Babajide and Gbolahan.

Borodo, who was grilled last week,  was quoted as telling
detectives that he flew Obanikoro on June 17, 2014 from Lagos to
Akure on an HS-125 aircraft.

Impeccable sources at the anti-graft agency told The
PUNCH that the pilot admitted that about eight big green
tarpaulin or military bags were loaded onto the plane by
Obanikoro’s men.

He said at a point, he had to complain to the former minister
that the aircraft was too small and thus could not carry too much
weight.

An investigator said, “The pilot told us that on June 17, 2014,
he was instructed by his company around 7am to prepare the aircraft
for an 8.30am flight from Lagos to Akure. He was informed that the
client was Obanikoro. He said he along with his colleagues
including one Capt. Olubiyi Famuyiwa got on the plane.

“He said Obanikoro’s aides arrived at the tarmac with some
bullion vans and started offloading the contents which were in big
green tarpaulin bags. He informed them that the aircraft could only
carry about eight or nine bags due to its small size.

“The pilot said at that point, Obanikoro intervened and began
pleading with him to allow them load all the bags on the plane but
he refused and then the minister, his ADC and a friend boarded the
plane and the aircraft departed.”

Borodo was said to have flown the aircraft to Akure where a
bullion van from Zenith Bank and some soldiers welcomed Obanikoro
and received the money.

Further investigations revealed that Fayose’s friend, Abiodun
Agbele, who is currently in the EFCC custody, was among those who
received Obanikoro.

The detective added, “The pilot said on getting to the Akure
airport, some soldiers received them and the bags were offloaded
and put into a bullion van. He noted that the plane returned empty
to Lagos.

“He said that the next day, he returned to Akure and then flew
Obanikoro to Abuja with his Aide-de-Camp, Lt. Adewale.”

The commission also interrogated the General Manager of the
airline, Mr. Jide West, who told the EFCC that Obanikoro paid
$25,200 for both flights.

The post EFCC quizzes pilot for flying Fayose’s N1.2bn
cash appeared first from online sources and was reposted by the community on Welcome to 9jalegal –
Nigeria’s Leading Legal Information and Services Portal.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has quizzed Captain
Ahmed Borodo, the pilot whose plane was allegedly chartered by a
former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, to
transport N1.219bn to Governor Ayodele Fayose.

The money was alleged to be part of the N4.7bn transferred from
the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser to the
bank account of Sylvan McNamara, a company allegedly owned by
Obanikoro’s two sons- Babajide and Gbolahan.

Borodo, who was grilled last week,  was quoted as telling
detectives that he flew Obanikoro on June 17, 2014 from Lagos to
Akure on an HS-125 aircraft.

Impeccable sources at the anti-graft agency told The
PUNCH that the pilot admitted that about eight big green
tarpaulin or military bags were loaded onto the plane by
Obanikoro’s men.

He said at a point, he had to complain to the former minister
that the aircraft was too small and thus could not carry too much
weight.

An investigator said, “The pilot told us that on June 17, 2014,
he was instructed by his company around 7am to prepare the aircraft
for an 8.30am flight from Lagos to Akure. He was informed that the
client was Obanikoro. He said he along with his colleagues
including one Capt. Olubiyi Famuyiwa got on the plane.

“He said Obanikoro’s aides arrived at the tarmac with some
bullion vans and started offloading the contents which were in big
green tarpaulin bags. He informed them that the aircraft could only
carry about eight or nine bags due to its small size.

“The pilot said at that point, Obanikoro intervened and began
pleading with him to allow them load all the bags on the plane but
he refused and then the minister, his ADC and a friend boarded the
plane and the aircraft departed.”

Borodo was said to have flown the aircraft to Akure where a
bullion van from Zenith Bank and some soldiers welcomed Obanikoro
and received the money.

Further investigations revealed that Fayose’s friend, Abiodun
Agbele, who is currently in the EFCC custody, was among those who
received Obanikoro.

The detective added, “The pilot said on getting to the Akure
airport, some soldiers received them and the bags were offloaded
and put into a bullion van. He noted that the plane returned empty
to Lagos.

“He said that the next day, he returned to Akure and then flew
Obanikoro to Abuja with his Aide-de-Camp, Lt. Adewale.”

The commission also interrogated the General Manager of the
airline, Mr. Jide West, who told the EFCC that Obanikoro paid
$25,200 for both flights.

The post EFCC quizzes pilot for flying Fayose’s N1.2bn
cash appeared first from online sources and was reposted by the community on Welcome to 9jalegal –
Nigeria’s Leading Legal Information and Services Portal.