Faroukgate: Police uncover fresh $10m bribe

BYKINGSLEY OMONOBI
ABUJA — Investigations by Police detectives into the $620,000 oil subsidy bribe money collected by Mr Farouk Lawan from oil magnate, Mr. Femi Otedola, have unearthed a wider financial scandal.

It was gathered that oil marketers who were indicted in the report recently submitted to the government by the Aigboje Aig-Imoukuede-led panel that probed the fuel subsidy claims allegedly paid about $10 million as bribe to Lawan committee.


Scam: Hon. Farouk Lawal seating before House Committee on Ethics and Privileges over $620 bribe Scam at National Assembly Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

Vanguard gathered that while the Aig-Imoukuede-led panel uncovered fraudulent overpayments to many of the oil marketers to the tune of N422 billion, all the oil marketers involved and indicted were invited and interrogated by the Lawan committee but were given a clean bill of health.

80% bribe money collected abroad

It has now emerged that the oil marketers gave bribes in foreign currency to the tune of about $10 million and that over 80 per cent of the bribes given were done abroad as the oil marketers, acting in partnership, sponsored some of the leaders of the House subsidy probe panel to the UK and the US, lodged them in choice hotels and gave them the bribes which influenced their being cleared of any fraudulent practice by the committee.

Sources told Vanguard yesterday that the decision of the oil marketers to give out such huge bribes to the House committee was to enable them use the clean bill of health report card, given by the House, to counter the report that would be presented by the Finance Committee panel.

According to sources, police detectives were shocked to find out that the amount of bribe money collected by the Lawan subsidy probe panel to over N15 billion while many House members who hitherto pretended to know nothing of the $620, 000 collected by Farouk, and even lambasted him over the $3 million scam, are neck deep in the $10 million scam.

The marketers were said to have settled for the Farouk committee because the Aig-Imoukuede panel was a no go area and bluntly told them they were not interested in taking bribes to influence their finding.

When Vanguard sought to know what the Police would do concerning the new discovery about the $10 million bribe money most of which took place abroad, it was told that the Police has its ways and that those involved would be found out.

Reps summon Otedola to appear on July 3

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges has summoned Chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd, Mr. Femi Otedola, to appear before it on July 3.

This was disclosed, yesterday, by the chairman of the committee, Gambo Musa, while briefing newsmen on the proceedings of the committee which interrogated Farouk Lawan over Otedola’s allegation that Lawan collected $620,000 as part of the $3 million bribe he had demanded.

Musa said this had become necessary to enable Otedola respond to some of the revelations made by Lawan when he appeared before the committee.

Lawan who arrived the House Meeting room 4.59, venue of the hearing, at exactly 1.05pm looked relaxed in his white caftan with a white hat to match. However, shortly after saying the prayers and reading his opening speech, Musa ordered journalists out of the venue of the hearing.

In his opening remarks, Musa recalled how the House reconvened early last January, to address the issue of the Federal Government’s withdrawal of fuel subsidy which had sparked off nation-wide protests. He also recalled how the House had set up the Adhoc Committee led by Lawan to probe the fuel subsidy regime and its disbursement adding that the Committee’s report had attracted applause nation-wide after it was submitted.

He further recalled how the activities of the Committee had taken a new twist after Otedola had alleged he gave Lawan $620,000 as bribe for the purpose of delisting Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd. from companies indicted for diverting foreign exchange allocated to them by the CBN for the purpose of importing petroleum products.

Musa further stated that it was the responsibility of the Committee to unravel what actually transpired during its investigations. He had explained that Lawan had to be interrogated in camera to avoid jeopardizing the Committee’s investigations.



http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/06/faroukgate-police-uncover-fresh-10m-bribe/

Messi abi C. Ronaldo ko. I don' gbadu dat dribble. Abi he wan score ni. He can't deny the truh!

I laugh in a Faroukious manner .

You collected money and not bribe...Please are these politicians really educated? What is the difference betwin collecting money and "bribe".Its obvious there is illitreracy among the govt officials than among the rank and file

When I think i hav seen the utmost stupidity of our so called leaders, they never seem to stop amazing me by going a step further! Lmfao, lafter 4 ere na understatement o!

Yet another instalment of the scandal involving altruistic oil marketer Otedola and conniving, thieving Farouk, I see.

Reminds me of a time when a dude straight off a 747 from Nigeria took to a motorway in England to get to his final destination.
Overtaking blindly, undertaking dangerously, while flouting every rule in the highway code, it was not long before the boys in blue showed up on his tail with lights flashing, and subsequently pulled him over.

When confronted with evidence of his erratic driving, Adeolu Ogechi Abubakar responded saying: "I was not driving erratically, but was rather only changing my mind".
Bent over double with laughter induced by AOA's brazen excuse, "Britain's finest" felt they had no choice but to let him go.

I have argued more than once on these boards that folks need to pay close attention to Farouk's choice of words, primarily because it's always been clear he left sufficient wiggle room to sink the bribe-giver as well.

Call it a case of mutually assured destruction (MAD), which leaves Nigerians poorer and ultimately none the wiser.

shame on you,u collected money not bribe and you think we nigerians are fools abi

shame on you,u collected money not bribe and you think we nigerians are fools abi/?

If it wasn't bribe, why was Otedola;s companies removed from the list?

Facrook the son of Liar!

Give pikin bre*ast,give bre*ast to pikin. . . .the important thing is that the child should be fed with bre*ast.So farouk is on point about collecting money not bribe.

surely there is an end to all this rubbish! naked we came and naked we shall all go.

nigerians make una stop to dey beat up and burn thievs on the streets ooo there own no dey nearly reach wetin this farouk do oo

No u didnt collect bribe, but collected money, i said it many san's has gone to work by educating him on what to say, and 2moro dis same lawyer's wil be shouting d govt is not fighting corruption, what a country.

Firstly, he said he never collected any money.

Secondly, he said he collected money and then handed it over to a third party to which the latter denied collecting any money.

Thirdly, He can't account for said money.

Lately, He admits to collecting money and not bribe.

If I was his defense lawyer I will do everything not to see this guy on the stand.

See why I support comment credited to OBJ
both the giver and Taker have to face the rule of law

chikena

lilkech: just scrutinize facrookz sentence

LAWAN: ' i took money not bribe '

YOU & I: ? ? ? ?

this man really believes that we all in 9ja are sheep

or are we?

R u not? since d story broke out what have all done except come here n blab

OLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Egbami o o! Dis pple want 2 scatter my head.in dis issue what is money and bribe?,where is d money.GOD punish all dis useless pple.

This guy is funny.he's now alleging that his image in the video was doctored.this is after he agreed that he collected money(bribe since it was a surrepticious act) 4rm otedola.This shows that he lacks the integrity he usually yaps about.Both Lawan n otedola re guilty of receiving n giving bribe respectively.

Fo.ol! What Difference does it make?

To lawan now,he believes that he is being persecuted,while up till now he has not released the money after he realised that it was 'marked',

[size=14pt]well he urged nigerians to be calm,as he will be vindicated,its an act of God/Allah.....a story that almajiiris will believe,one way soldier almajiiris will not think twice believing this,
[/size]
im sobbered in my heart because ive lived in the north before and see that these people have rendered a whole generation of people without education unless,they are dressed in white agbada but will at will molest a 12 yr old girls,impregnates them,and a child that result from that will join the multitudes of almajiiris on street,to use them as a tools on innocents , now they are exploding into our society now in the name of boko haram.

where is the money lawan admitedly receive or took since april,2 months ago,...they fund boko haram with it thats it.

i dont know how long we deceive ourselves that we belong to one nigeria,some fools in the south will because of what they eat support these people, [size=14pt]'we are unevenly yoked'[/size] with these people,and do not share the same goal,..they claimed to be born to rule, now when that looks as if it has changed now at least for now,they resolve to 'STEAL' and farouk telling us its an act of God?

ehn,i rest my case.

this guy is so farucious (corrupt)

COLLECT "MONEY" LEAVE "BRIBE", or COLLECT "BRIBE" LEAVE "MONEY". DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE? Haba, Facrook!

This lawan guy way camera catch as him dey smile dey hide money unda him cap and inside him boxers

Yes::::::tell them!!!!!
Words - Opposite
politian- common man
collection of money- bribe
corruption- thief
refund- death sentence
official vehicles- mass transit
selection- election

etc...........

BRIBE Is the gift bestowned to influence the recipient's conduct. It may be any Money,Good, Right in action,Property,Perferment,Emolument,object of advantage,or merely a promise or undertaking to induce or influence the action,vote or influence of person in an OFFICIAL or PUBLIC capacity. so what Rep FL did is not different frm what Nigeria Policemen are collecting frm road users, has a matter of fact i don't expect these frm Rep FL with his level in the house,Rep FL is a thief with what he has collectd. Fellow nigeria, what happened during Bankole (speaker) and Nafada's(Deputy speaker) case?absolutely nothing. with all these am sure if Rep FL contest nxt election he will win.Is high time we stop parading thiefs in our politics.Nigeria is time we wake up. I LOVE NAIJA

What a sophist my Farouk is! Bit like a rap(p)ist saying "I had s$x with her I didn't rap(p)e her" or a murderer saying "I killed him I didn't murder him".

With each passing day am getting more disappointed in this man.

maybe i missed my english classes.

Abeg u guys should leave Far-crook alone, he did not yet collect the bribe,only d appetizer($620000) he wanted 2check wit d sensors inside his cap if d main course(BRIBE) was worth it,hence d xplanation. smh