Fraud: EFCC witness testifies NASS pension committees

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission witness on Friday told an Abuja High Court about the sum of N7m allegedly paid to members of the Senate and House of Representatives committees on 'police pension' from the accounts of the Police Pension Fund.

The anti-graft agency also disclosed that about N14bn was allegedly withdrawn from the fund without vouchers authorising the withdrawals.

These statements were made by a prosecution witness, Adeyemo Julius Adebolu, while testifying in the trial of a suspended Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Atiku Abubakar Kigo, Mr. Esai Dangabar, and an assistant director in Police Pension Office, Mrs. Uzoma Cyril Attang.

Other accused persons in the case were Ahmed Inuwa Wada, Mrs. Veronica Ulonma Onyegbula, Sani Habila Zira and Christian Madubuike.

The witness, who is the Head of Internal Audit, Police Pension Office, said the alleged pension fraud was carried out between 2009 and 2011.

He said that some of the cheques used to make the withdrawals were issued in the name of the Director of Pensions and Mrs. Onyegbulam.

Shedding light on the amount that was allegedly paid to members of the National Assembly, the witness said that he discovered the payments when he made enquiries after debit alerts of N2m and N5m were sent to him on the same day.

He said that in response to his questions, the Deputy Director, Accounts, told him that the amount was 'meant to be paid to the Senate and House of Representatives police pension committees.'