Nigeria’s ex-minister Charles Ugwuh arrested for alleged N3.6bn fraud

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested a former Minister of Commerce and Industry, Charles Chukwuemeka Ugwuh and one Chief Geoffrey Ekenma for an alleged conspiracy and fraud to the tune of N3.6bn.

The Minister and Ekenma were arrested by operatives of Lagos Zonal Command of EFCC on January 11, 2024 at No.2, Musa Yar Adua way, New Owerri, Imo State.

Dele Oyewale, the spokesperson for the anti-graft agency in a statement on Monday said Charles Ugwuh and Ekenma were arrested following a petition to the EFCC from a new generation bank on the alleged fraud perpetrated through a company, Ebony Agro Industries Ltd., linked to the ex-Minister.

“Investigations revealed that Ugwuh and Ekenma, Managing Director, Ebony Agro Industries Ltd., allegedly obtained a loan facility from the bank for the purchase and production of polished rice.

“However, the suspect, according to the petitioner, failed to meet up his obligations to the bank and all efforts to get him to repay the loan facility proved abortive,” he said.

EFCC said the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

Charles Ugwuh, a former president of the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN) in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP primaries for Imo State governor in the April 2007 elections.

He lost the primary but was appointed Minister for Commerce & Industry 2007 by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. He held the office until 29 October 2008 the cabinet was dissolved by the late Yar’Adua.

In another development, the the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), has invited the Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo over the award of a N438 million contract to a company linked to him by the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.

A leaked memo had shown that the firm traced to Mr Tunji-Ojo received N438 million as payment for ‘consultancy fees’ from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

But the interior minister denies any involvement in the contract, insisting that he was no longer involved in the running of the company after resigning as its director in 2019.

Despite the denial, the CBB in an invitation dated 10 January but seen on Monday has asked Mr Tunji-Ojo to appear before it on Tuesday, 16 January, for interrogation over the contract scandal.

The invitation letter was signed by Gwimi S.P, who heads CCB’s department of intelligence, investigation and monitoring.

“The Minister is invited to appear before the Bureau on Tuesday 16 January 2024 at CCB Headquarters located at the Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja,” a statement signed by Kato Veronica, head of CCB’s Press and Public Relations, said.

The bureau said its investigation is part of its statutory mandate as stipulated in the Nigerian constitution.

“The Code of Conduct Bureau has commenced an investigation into the alleged breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers by the Hon. Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo,” the statement added.

The statement further said, “a company named New Planet Projects, allegedly belonging to the Minister (Mr Tunji-Ojo) benefitted from alleged contract scam from Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.”

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