Jonathan’s SA, Three Others to Face Fresh Probe

Three former top officials of the Nigerian Ports Authority and a former special adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, named in a corruption scandal in Switzerland, are now to face fresh probe in Nigeria following the conviction of the foreign firm that allegedly gave them more than $2.7 million.

Dredging International Services (Cyprus) Ltd was in early May fined one million Swiss Francs and asked to refund 36 million Swiss Francs illegal profit after it was indicted for allegedly making illicit payments to a former Managing Director of the NPA, Adebayo Sarumi; a former Managing Director of NPA’s Eastern Ports, Felix Ovbude; a former Executive Director of Finance at the NPA, Abba Murtala Mohammed; and Daniel Afam-Obi, a former executive assistant to Sullivan Akachukwu Nwankpo who was ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s special adviser on technical matters.

Investigators believe Mr. Afam-Obi acted on behalf of Mr. Nwankpo.

While Messrs Sarumi, Ovbude and Mohammed allegedly collectively received $2.6 million in kickbacks, Mr. Afam-Obi was said to have been paid $157,000 for unknown reasons.

Another $18 million was passed to companies in which some yet unknown Nigerian officials have interests.

A top official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission told newsmen on Tuesday that the Acting Chairman of the anti-graft agency, Ibrahim Magu, early in the day instructed some of his staff to pore through the agency’s records and dig out relevant files on the matter.

“If those who gave the bribe have been convicted, we will have to do something to bring those who allegedly received the bribe to book,” the official said.

“We will see what we already have and what more work needs to be done.”