The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has taken over a mansion which belonged to Air Marshal Mohammed Umar (retd) who is a former chief of air staff.
The Punch reports that the EFCC sealed the house which is located on 1853 Deng Xiano Ping Street, off Mahathir Mohammed Street, Asokoro Extension in Abuja.
According to the EFCC, the house is worth about N860m.
The EFCC had alleged before an Abuja Federal High Court that, “while being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force, between March and April 2012, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the court did the accused (Umar) use the United States dollars equivalent of the sum of N860,000,000 (Eight hundred and sixty million naira) removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to purchase for yourself a property lying and situate at plot 1853 Deng Xiano Ping Street, off Mahathir Mohammed street, Asokoro extension Abuja.”
Umar is one of top ranking military officials suspected of siphoning money meant for the force and are facing investigation for charges bordering on corruption.
The EFCC also claimed that Umar removed N700 million from the accounts of the airforce to purchase a property at 14, Vistula Close, off Panama Street, Maitama, Abuja, while another N500 million was removed to purchase a property comprising a four-bedroomed duplex at Road 3B, Street 2, Mabushi Ministers Hill, Abuja.
Although the Maitama and Mabushi mansions allegedly belonging to the retired officer have not been sealed, the guards at the house confirmed the houses belonged to him.
He was arraigned for an alleged N7bn scam, had denied all the allegations levelled against him.
The diversion of fund meant for the procurement of arms has seen the EFCC conduct extensive investigations into the financial engagement of the air force and the Nigerians army. However, there was tension when preliminary investigation began in the navy.
The Federal Ministry of Finance had on Thursday directed the anti-graft agency to investigate the payroll of the military.
The ministry said the investigation followed revelations Alex Badeh who is a former chief of defence staff at the Federal High Court in Abuja, that N558.2m was diverted monthly s into private pockets.
An EFCC source said: “We were investigating only the army and the air force because they were the ones given funds to fight Boko Haram. Since the battle has only been in the North-East where there is no piracy, the navy was not really involved in the arms deal and we therefore did not focus on them during investigations.
“However, with this new directive, we will go after the navy. We are aware that part of the NIMASA fraud also involved some navy personnel. We will now do a full-scale investigation.”
NAIJ.com
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