Date Published: 03/28/10

Abba Ruma, Tanimu Kurfi passports seized

…Linked with the disappearance of over N70 Billion Security Votes

…Aondoakaa also fingered

Abba Ruma	Tanimu Kurfi	Mike Aondoakaa

Top security sources in Abuja have hinted Pointblanknews.com that the international passports of former Agriculture minister, Sayyad Abba Ruma, and ex Economic Adviser to Umaru Yar'Adua, Tanimu Kurfi, have been seized.

It could also not be confirmed if the passport of former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa has also been seized. He is said to have backed all the illegal financial dealings hatched by the duo of Ruma and Kurfi.

The move, it was learnt, is to stop the two top guns of the Yar'Adua's cabal from fleeing abroad and compromise efforts by the Goodluck Jonathan's administration to hold some former cabinet members accountable.

The trio of Ruma, Aondoakaa and Kurfi are alleged to have been responsible for the disappearance of over N70 Billion from the security votes of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua between the months of November 2009 and January 2010.

Ruma and Kurfi allegedly disbursed huge sums of money running into billions while Yar'Adua was in Saudi Arabia. Specifically, before the budget was 'signed' Ruma allegedly spent over N16Billion without recourse to the then Vice President. As Economic Adviser, Kurfi gave the go-ahead to the likes of Ruma.

Sources told Pointbanknews.com that while part of the N70 Billion went into the fight to sustain the Yar’Adua Presidency during his over 90 days in a Saudi Arabia Hospital, majority of the sums went into private foreign accounts operated by the trio in Saudi Arabia, Isle of man and Mauritius.

The trio was also the custodians of the multi billion naira propaganda war chest used during Yar'Adua's stay in hospital, and after he was brought to Abuja. They were alleged sponsors of the likes of Tanko Yakassai, and his co-travellers who made several divisive remarks, and eventually went to court to challenge Jonathan's emergence as Acting President.

Pointblanknews.com also gathered that the EFCC is looking at the dosier. A source close to the EFCC said on friday " i am not aware of the passport seizure but we were waiting for security reports on some of them, and if there are evidence of mismanagement we will act. There is no doubt that eventually some of them will end up with us'

 Pointblanknews.com could not confirm as at press time how many of the ex cabinet members are under scrutiny by the security agencies, but another source hinted that former special duties minister, Mike Aondoakaa, ex power minister, Remi Babalola, ex oil minister, Rilwan Lukman are under scrutiny.