EFCC Arrests Amosu’s wife,recovers $1mn From Soakaway pit

EFCC has arrested the wife of the immediate past Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (rtd) in relation to the ongoing investigation into the $2.1 billion arms procurement fund image Today.ng reports that Mrs. Lara Amosu was arrested last week in Abuja by EFCC operatives, adding that she has been in the anti-graft custody in Lagos since last week. A source disclosed that Lara’s lawyer has been making attempts to secure her release but had not gotten any positive result. She was arrested after the sum of N3 billion was traced to her bank accounts. The money is believed to be part of the sum her husband is being probed for. The source further hinted that some properties belonging to the former CAS were also held in trust for him by Lara and her children. There were earlier reports that the anti-graft watch dog discovered a whooping sum of N17.5 billion in the accounts of wives of three airforce chiefs. The monies were reportedly disseminated in various banks accounts. A source acquainted with the ongoing arms probe disclosed that N13 billion was traced to the bank accounts of the wife of a retired Air Vice Marshal, who held strategic position in the Nigeria Air Force (NAF), adding that N1.5 billion was also discovered in the account of another serving senior officer. These officers handled the finance, budget and accounts of NAF. The source said: “Shortly after Amosu was picked up in Abuja, his wife, Lara, was subsequently arrested. Investigations conducted showed that some of the monies the former Chief of Air Staff made through some contracts and procurements in NAF were traced to his wife’s accounts. “About N3 billion was traced to the wife’s accounts while some assets acquired by the former service chief was in her name and some others in her company’s name. “So, Lara is an accessory to a crime. The proceeds with her are from the arms funds. As we prosecute her husband, she must also be held accountable.” It was gathered that the anti-graft agency pulled out the sum of $1 million cash from Amosu’s residence in Badagary, Lagos. The foreign currency was discovered when operatives carried out a search on the house. The source said: “In continuation of the investigation into the arms probe, the EFCC operatives took Amosu to his residence in Badagry. After a thorough search of the residence, a fresh small ‘soakaway’ pit was discovered in the compound. The operatives suspected foul play, which informed the breaking of the ‘soakaway’. Surprisingly, $1 million was found in it. The money was subsequently confiscated.” The EFCC arrested Amosu, Adigun, and Air Commodore O. Gbadebo two weeks ago over their involvement in the $2.1 billion arms scandal. It was gathered that the EFCC flew the indicted officers to Lagos in an airforce aircraft. They were allegedly discreetly kept in a hotel. The EFCC mobilised the indicted officers to assets traced to them and suspected to have been acquired with monies gotten from the arms deal. The anti-graft agency had sealed off some of the said properties. The Federal Government on November 30, 2015 directed the EFCC to prosecute the ex-CAS, who is also being investigated for over 10 NAF contracts totaling $930,500,690 awarded to Societe D’ Equipments Internationaux (SEI) Nig Ltd. between January 2014 and February 2015. The probe panel disclosed that the contacts award letters show misleading delivery dates, suggesting fraudulent intention in the award process. However, the EFCC had asked Amosu and others, who are still being detained over the $2.1bn arms deal, to refund some money or contract sums traced to them, but they have remained adamant.

About Faith Irabor 1042 Articles
Welcome on board!!! Faith Irabor is just like your everyday girl next door with strong survival instincts. Am an International Journalist, Events planner and Blogger whose media journey dates back to June 2002 as a TV presenter with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Ile-Ife Osun State while I was having my National Diploma in Mass Communication. I left NTA in 2005 to pursue my B.SC in Mass Communication at the Olabisi Onabanjo University OOU Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State and finished in 2008 before joining one of Nigeria's best investigative Tabloids (National Enquirer Magazine & www.enquirermag.blogspot.com). I am very privileged to be trained by one of the industry's bests, my boss and mentor Mr. Tunde Moshood Jr, the former Editor of the defunct Fame Magazine, Publisher of National Enquirer and president Miss Global Nigeria who taught me everything I know in Journalism especially the investigative aspect which is the fulfilment of being a member of the Fourth Estate of Realm (as we journalists are usually officially addressed). My desire to take my journalism practice beyond the Newspaper & Magazine came from the passion I have derived over the years from investigative journalism as Online Media is the best platform to tell a story or news the very minute it’s at your disposal without wasting time. I promise to serve you nothing but exclusive and interesting news, interviews, events, articles from around the world and please feel free to email me on faith.irabor@faithirabor.com on spotted errors as well as ideas that would make me do better as there is no perfect being anywhere except God. Now scroll up, click on any of the stories and please drop your comment!!!!

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