Fidelity Bank and a former Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, are currently enmeshed in an alleged money laundering scandal.
Documents available exposed the questionable dealings between Obiano, and Fidelity Bank.
According to the documents showing the bank records, Obiano withdrew a whopping N500 million at eight different times on March 29, 2017 from Fidelity Bank.
According to documents, the former governor got enmeshed in an alleged money laundering scheme in alleged connivance with the bank.
Bank records show that Obiano who contested and won the state’s governorship election in November 2013 and 2017 on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) withdrew N500 million at eight different times on March 29, 2017.
He withdrew the funds from various Fidelity Bank account numbers 5110032568, 5110032599, 5110032551, 5110032544, 5110032582, 5110032575 with the same account name ‘Anambra State Security Vote’. All funds were withdrawn at Fidelity Bank’s branch at No 5, Akah Street, Umueze Village, Amawbia, Anambra State on the said date.
Allegations of misappropriation of security votes by public officeholders under the guise of enhancing the security of lives and properties is now common place.
Security votes are monthly funds allocated to each state for the sole aim of funding security services. The allocations, however, differ depending on the level of insecurity in each state.
Recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arrested Obiano months back barely hours after he handed over power to the new Governor of the State, Chukwuma Charles Soludo.
Obiano was arrested at the Lagos International Airport, on his way out of the country.
In an interview granted to BBC Pidgin, the Public Relations Officer of the EFCC, Wilson Uwajaren said that Obiano had been on the watchlist of the EFCC prior to the transition on Thursday.
Wilson Uwajaren said, “Obiano has been on our watchlist for sometime now. He had immunity as a governor and that is why we could not arrest him before now.
“Today he lost the immunity and was traveling out of the country before we finally arrested him.”
In November 2021, the EFCC had in a letter to the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) dated November 15, 2021, requested the service to place the governor on a watchlist and inform it anytime he is travelling out of the country from any of the international airports and other points of entry and exit.
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