Date Published: 04/11/11

N4.5bn Pension Scam: Court issues Bench Warrant against 2 accused persons

33 suspects of a pension scam amongst whom are Dr. Sani Teidi Shuaibu, Garba Abdullahi Tahir, Emmanuel Olanipekun, Abdullahi Omeiza, Mrs Phina Ukamaka Chidi, Aliyu Bello, Mohammed Katun Ahmed brought to the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja by operatives of the EFCC on Monday, 11 th April, 2011.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a warrant of arrest on Messrs Aliyu Bello and Abdullahi Omeiza, two of the accused persons among the 33 accused being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over an alleged N4.56 billion Pension fraud. The warrant of arrest was issued owing to their failure to appear before Justice Adamu Bello to take a plea over their proposed arraignment.

Dr. Sani Teidi Shuaibu, Mrs. Phina Ukamaka Chidi and 31 other suspects are facing trial on a 134 count charge bordering on diversion of pension funds, abuse of office, using ghost pensioners to pay N3million into their accounts monthly and diversion of hundreds of millions from the pension fund through award of fictitious contracts to companies which they manage. Shuaibu is a former Director, Pension Administration in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, while Ukamaka Chidi is a former Deputy Director (Finance and Accounts), in the pension office. Aliyu Bello was a Personal Assistant to Dr. Shuaibu. Other accused persons are , Garba Abdullahi Tahir, Mohammed Katun Ahmed, Emmanuel Olanipekun, Abdullahi Omeiza, Computer Plaza and Essential gadget Ventures.

Others are Mobis Point Investment Ltd, Obista Enterprises, Shallow Well Ventures, Mof Investment Ltd, Zumba Resources, Pam Investment and Properties Ltd, Moshfad Enterprises, Newgate Projects Ltd, RedWings Energy Ltd, RedWing Procurement Services Ltd, Woodland Industries NIG Ltd. Others are Nwab Tessy O Enterprises Nigeria, Chris J. Junior Ventures, Uthaka Nigeria Ltd, Bashinta Nigeria ltd, Haleath Enterprises, Gozinda Enterprises, Omozua Ventures, S.S Badejo Enterprises, Lopee ventures, Fafama Oil and gas Ltd, Fafama estate Developer Ltd and Riba-Ile Petroleum.

EFCC Counsel, Godwin Obla through an oral application on Monday April 11, prayed the court to issue a bench warrant on the two accused persons since they have been served long ago with the charges but have deliberately refused to answer the call of justice by not being in court to take a plea, a circumstance restraining the remaining accused persons from taking their plea. “I want to urge the court pursuant to section 351 of the Criminal Procedure Act CPA to issue a bench warrant to compel the two accused persons to appear in court and take their plea”, Obla submitted. Counsel to the 1st accused person, S I Ameh SAN, and other defense counsel also aligned themselves with Obla. In his response, Justice Adamu Bello issued a bench warrant on the accused persons and adjourned the case to May 9th , 2011 for the accused persons to take their plea.

Count one of the 134 count charge reads "that you Dr. Shaiubu Sani Teidi, Phina Ukamaka Chidi Computer Plaza, Essential Gadget Ventures, Mobis Point Investment Ltd, Obista Enterprises, Shallow Well Ventures at various times, between 2008 and 2010 within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, conspired among yourselves to induce the pension department, office of the head of service of the federation of Nigeria, to deliver to you, various sums in the aggregate of N176, 910, 650.00 property vide the medium of a contract induced by false pretences, thereby committed an offence contrary to section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006".