EFCC traces N603m to civil servant’s wife

• Arrests DG for N23m scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it has traced
N603m to Mrs Esther Habu, the wife of Mr Josiah Habu, who is the
Director of the Bioresources Development Centre in Bayelsa
State.

Established in 2003 by the National Biotechnology Development
Agency under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Science and
Technology, BIODEC is an intervention programme of the Federal
Government aimed at developing the natural resources of Nigeria for
use in agriculture, health, environment and industry.

BIODEC has about 25 centres across the country.

According to the EFCC, investigations showed that Esther, whose
husband is a director at the BIODEC branch in Bayelsa State, was
given suspicious contracts even as a total sum of N603,000,000 was
traced to her in different deals involving over 20 directors of
BIODEC across the country.

The anti-graft agency said in a statement by its spokesman, Mr
Wilson Uwujaren, that about N70m was traced to her husband.

The EFCC also arrested the Director-General of NABDA, Prof Lucy
Ogbadu, who oversees all BIODEC branches across the country.

Ogbadu allegedly received N23m from the slush fund.

The statement read in part, “Operatives of the EFCC have
arrested the serving Director-General of NABDA, Prof Lucy Ogbadu,
for her alleged involvement in criminal conspiracy and diversion of
public funds to the tune of N23m.

“Ogbadu was arrested on Wednesday June 28 in Port Harcourt,
Rivers State, following her alleged link with the Bayelsa State
Director of BIODEC, Mr Josiah Habu, who is being investigated by
the EFCC in a case of fraudulent diversion of the sum of N75m.

“Investigations by the EFCC showed that Ogbadu allegedly
received the sum of N23m through a bank account belonging to the
wife of Habu, Mrs Esther Habu, and admitted same in a voluntary
statement made to the EFCC.

“Further investigations have also shown that Mrs Habu is one of
the contractors with BIODEC, Odi, Bayelsa State, and a total sum of
N603m has been traced to her in different deals involving over 20
directors of BIODEC across the country.”

The commission said Ogbadu’s link with all the alleged scams was
being investigated, adding that she had been duly served with bail
conditions while investigations continued.

• Arrests DG for N23m scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it has traced
N603m to Mrs Esther Habu, the wife of Mr Josiah Habu, who is the
Director of the Bioresources Development Centre in Bayelsa
State.

Established in 2003 by the National Biotechnology Development
Agency under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Science and
Technology, BIODEC is an intervention programme of the Federal
Government aimed at developing the natural resources of Nigeria for
use in agriculture, health, environment and industry.

BIODEC has about 25 centres across the country.

According to the EFCC, investigations showed that Esther, whose
husband is a director at the BIODEC branch in Bayelsa State, was
given suspicious contracts even as a total sum of N603,000,000 was
traced to her in different deals involving over 20 directors of
BIODEC across the country.

The anti-graft agency said in a statement by its spokesman, Mr
Wilson Uwujaren, that about N70m was traced to her husband.

The EFCC also arrested the Director-General of NABDA, Prof Lucy
Ogbadu, who oversees all BIODEC branches across the country.

Ogbadu allegedly received N23m from the slush fund.

The statement read in part, “Operatives of the EFCC have
arrested the serving Director-General of NABDA, Prof Lucy Ogbadu,
for her alleged involvement in criminal conspiracy and diversion of
public funds to the tune of N23m.

“Ogbadu was arrested on Wednesday June 28 in Port Harcourt,
Rivers State, following her alleged link with the Bayelsa State
Director of BIODEC, Mr Josiah Habu, who is being investigated by
the EFCC in a case of fraudulent diversion of the sum of N75m.

“Investigations by the EFCC showed that Ogbadu allegedly
received the sum of N23m through a bank account belonging to the
wife of Habu, Mrs Esther Habu, and admitted same in a voluntary
statement made to the EFCC.

“Further investigations have also shown that Mrs Habu is one of
the contractors with BIODEC, Odi, Bayelsa State, and a total sum of
N603m has been traced to her in different deals involving over 20
directors of BIODEC across the country.”

The commission said Ogbadu’s link with all the alleged scams was
being investigated, adding that she had been duly served with bail
conditions while investigations continued.