Almost Every Contract Is A Means To Steal Our Money... See For Yourselves...

A lawyer and businessman, Uche Obilor, yesterday told the Federal High Court in Lagos that three of his companies got N905,800 million from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) without bidding for any contract.

He said the firms – Seabulk Offshore Limited, Southern Offshore Limited and Ace Prothesis Limited – were paid for a contract they never executed.

He was testifying in the trial of a former NIMASA Director-General, Patrick Akpobolokemi, who is accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) converting N2.6billion.

He was also accused of defrauding the Federal Government of 795.2million.

Akpobolokemi was arraigned before Justice Ibrahim Buba along with three others – Captain Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Juan – and three companies – Blockz and Stonz Limited, Kenzo Logistics Limited and Al-Kenzo Logistic Limited.

Led in evidence by EFCC prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo, Obilor said he was approached by NIMASA to provide vessels for the implementation of an ISPS Code project.

Oyedepo asked: “Did you bid for the contract?” The witness said: “We did not officially bid for the contract.”

The EFCC lawyer asked: “Did you execute the unofficial contract?” Obilor responded: “The contract was not executed.”

According to the witness, the companies received letters of award of contracts although they did not submit any bids.

He said the monies were paid before they got confirmation that they had been awarded the contract.

“When we had the letter of award, by then the monies had been paid upfront.

“We were later approached that we should stay action, and that we should remit the money to certain companies and individuals,” he said.

He said his companies got the following sums: Seabulk Offshore, N437million; Southern Offshore, N402million and Ace Prothesis, N66.8million.

Obilor said they neither issued requests for payment, nor submitted any invoices.

When he was showed a request document for the payment of a particular sum, he said: “We did not issue this document.”

The witness said he received instructions from Captain Agaba, and that they discussed verbally.

Under cross examination by Akpobolokemi’s lawyer Dr Joseph Nwobike (SAN), Obilor said he never dealt with or met the former NIMASA boss.

Summary

Seems every contract signed out to companies in Nigeria is just a "BIG FRAUDULENT SCAM"....

A means to steal our money... 

No wonder projects are never completed, cos the funds are diverted for personal use...

The Real Nigeria...