NSCDC Scandal: EFCC Questions 20 Contractors, 10 Senior Officers

EFCC testing A N7.5 billion fraud involves 20 NSCDC contractors and 10 senior officers.

A N7.5 billion scam is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the activities of ten top officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

According to information obtained, the anti-graft agency has also called ten contractors who are connected to the alleged scam.

The NSCDC Commandant General was asked to make the charged NSCDC personnel available for questioning by EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede in a letter dated April 26.

The planned questioning was to begin on May 2 and continue from there.

The EFCC has called for ten NSCDC officers: Paul Ahepa, A.A. Jonathan, Umaru Usman Karshi, Adewale Kukoyi, Joseph Ajayi Ibitulo, Comfort Danladi, Anthony Akpan Uwen, Patrick Babatunde, and Victor Olanrewaju Fayemi.

Reports claim that contractors employed by Ahmed Audi, the Commandant General of the NSCDC, embezzled N7.5 billion in monies.

The senior NSCDC personnel were allegedly involved in the money's laundering, as these funds were linked to several Bureau de Change operators.

According to an anonymous individual with knowledge of the inquiry, “The EFCC is investigating the alleged diversion of N7.5 billion by contractors working with the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Ahmed Audi.

“The funds shared to contractors' accounts have been identified and linked to BDC operators, all of whom were invited and have been grilled by the EFCC interrogators.”

Payments were paid to twenty contractors in total, three of them were prominent contractors and each owned five businesses, it was found.

Retention fees of five percent were paid to each contractor.

According to one source, the EFCC was able to recover about N1 billion as a result of the contractors involved in the purported fraud providing useful information.

EFCC interrogators reportedly arrested six senior officers at the commission's Abuja headquarters.