EFCC traces Lagos, Bayelsa properties to Jonathan’s ex-aide, Dudafa

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has reportedly traced properties worth N1.5bn to a former Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamowei Dudafa.

The anti-graft agency uncovered a mansion in the Agungi area of the Lekki-Epe Expressway, said to be worth over N300m, allegedly belonging to Dudafa.

It also traced a plot of land around Chevron Estate, off the Lekki-Epe Expressway, and a twin duplex within the same area also belonging to Dudafa.

Apart from the Lagos properties, an edifice in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, was also traced to Dudafa.

Punch quoted EFCC source as saying, “When we are probing a person, we usually investigate his lifestyle and see if he or she is living above his means. Since Dudafa has already been arraigned for money laundering, we decided to launch further investigations into his lifestyle.

“We found a white mansion in the Agungi area of Lagos, very close to Lekki. He has about four exotic cars in the compound. We did not seal it off because people live there. So, we just placed a sticker on the fence to indicate that the property is a subject of investigation.

“Dudafa also has a twin duplex around the Chevron Estate. We did not seal it off because he has rented the property out. However, he has a parcel of land around the place, which we have sealed off.

“We have arraigned Dudafa and if he is found guilty, he will forfeit the properties.”

Problem started for Dudafa when a former Aide-de-Camp to Jonathan, Col. Ojogbane Adegbe (retd.), told detectives that he handed over N10bn (converted to foreign currency) to Dudafa on the eve of the 2014 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential primary in which Jonathan was the sole aspirant.

The money given to Dudafa was allegedly used in bribing PDP delegates.

The money was allegedly diverted by the Office of the National Security Adviser under Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) from a Signature Bonus Account in the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The N10bn is believed to have been diverted from oil receipts as follows: $5m (November 14, 2014); $47m (November 27, 2014); €4m (December 3, 2014) and €1.6m (December 24, 2014).

Earlier, the EFCC told a Federal High Court in Lagos that fictitious addresses were given for companies used by Dudafa and two other persons, in an alleged $31.4m fraud.