EXPOSED: How we moved over N1bn to Fayose – Obanikoro Ex-Aide Opens Up

An officer of the Nigerian Navy, Lt.-Cdr Olumide Adewale, has opened up to EFCC that he helped his former boss, former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, to transport money, which was flown to Akure and handed over to Abiodun Agbele on the instructions of Gov Ayo Fayose.

Adewale, who was Aide-de-Camp to Obanikoro when he was the Minister of State for Defence, said this on Wednesday when he was grilled by detectives of the EFCC.

According to the anti-corruption agency,
the money was part of the N4.7bn paid into Obanikoro’s sons’ company account, Sylvan McNamara, on the instructions of the embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.).

Adewale, who was in charge of Obanikoro’s security for about a year, told the EFCC that everything he did was under the strict instructions of his boss.

He told investigators that on June 16, 2014, barely a week to the Ekiti State governorship election, he, alongside Obanikoro, departed the ex-minister’s Park View home in Ikoyi, Lagos, and headed for the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

The naval officer told detectives that on getting to the airport, he met Obanikoro’s son, Gbolahan. He said Gbolahan and the former minister had a brief meeting after which a bullion van arrived at the private wing of the airport.

Adewale told the EFCC operatives that Gbolahan then directed some men at the airport to offload the money from the bullion van and load it unto the aircraft.

The entire activity was said to have been captured on CCTV.

A detective of the anti-graft agency quoted Adewale as saying, “The flight was delayed for about an hour. Later, a bullion van pulled into the hangar where the chartered flight was. Shortly after, Gbolahan ensured some bags were offloaded unto the plane. I later boarded the flight with Obanikoro and his friend, Dr. Tunde Oshinowo (a PDP chieftain and a mutual friend of Obanikoro and Fayose).”

The EFCC detectives told Punch that on getting to the Akure airport, Obanikoro was welcomed by Mr. Abiodun Agbele, Fayose’s ally, who had since been arrested by the commission.

Adewale confirmed that Obanikoro was welcomed at the airport by a politician.

He told investigators that he did not know the name of the person but could recognise the person.

The Naval man was further quoted as saying, “On arrival at Akure, the minister had a discussion with political friends. A bullion van was driven to the tarmac. The bags were offloaded unto the bullion van and the minister directed that we escort the van to a Zenith Bank branch in Akure.

“On arrival, the bags were offloaded by bank workers under the supervision of a civilian who had come to meet the minister at the Akure airport. I don’t know the man facially but I can recognise him.”