Press Statement
The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has
been drawn to a report which was widely syndicated in the newspapers and online
media on Monday, October 6, 2014, alleging the involvement of officials of the
Commission in a bribery scandal over the Gbaran Ubie
Gas Project in Bayelsa State.
The report which is purportedly based on a petition to the House of
Representatives by a certain Chidi David Adebanya ought to be ignored as the
motive is essentially to befuddle the case pending against the petitioner at
the Federal High Court, Abuja.
However, the Commission is constrained to respond in the interest of readers
who might have been misled by the sponsored story.
For the avoidance of doubt, there is no truth in the claim by Adebanya
that officials of the Commission demanded gratification from him to throw the
case. It is inconceivable that any official of the Commission will ask for a
bribe let alone promising to make returns to the Attorney General and Minister
of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke. This is preposterous! According to Adebanya,
the bribes were demanded in 2011. The important question is, why has it taken
him three solid years to go public with the allegation?
The reality is that nothing of such happened. The contrivance is a ploy
to discredit the case instituted by the EFCC against Adebanya. The petitioner
is currently standing trial before the Federal High Court, Abuja, on charges of
obtaining money under false pretence.
He allegedly used his position as Interface Manger for Shell to extort
his employer through a phony consultancy in connivance with officials of the
Bayelsa State Ministry of Urban Development. He allegedly awarded
himself a consultancy contract using his company “Forstech” being run by his
girlfriend, Uzoma Ibe, an accomplice. The “team” milked Shell of N1.9billion in
consultancy charges for the Gbaran Ubie gas project.
The phony deal later cost him his job. The matter which was before
Justice Gladys Olotu was later reassigned to Justice Adeniyi Ademola after the
former left the bench.
Rather than prove his innocence in court, Adebanya resorted to self help
by petitioning the House of Representatives and seeking to scandalize the
Commission through spurious allegations.
It is regrettable that a section of the media bought this gambit by
rushing to publish without any attempt at verifying the claim or seeking the
views of the Commission on the purported allegation.
If this omission is part of an agenda to embarrass and distract the EFCC
from pursuing the case against Adebanya, it has failed. No amount of sponsored
publications on unfounded allegations will stop the Commission from diligently
prosecuting the case against Adebanya.
If the petitioner believes he has any case against the Commission, he is
free to seek redress in court.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
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