Alleged N30b Fraud: Court Orders Seizure Of Ex-FCT Director’s Travel Documents

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has ordered the seizure of the travel documents of an ex-Director of an agency of the FCT, Reuben Okoya.

Okoya, said to be the Coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) between 2011 and 2015, is being investigated in connection with the alleged diversion of over N30 billion, according to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

Justice Charles Agbaza, in a ruling on Thursday, ordered the ICPC Chairman, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye, to instruct Okoya “to surrender his international passport or exit permit or any other travel documents in his possession to the commission for a period of 180 days.”

The ruling was on an ex-parte motion marked: M/4991/2022 filed by ICPC’s lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, in which it was alleged that Okoya was linked with the “misappropriation of over N30bmeant for the council (AMMC) under his administration.”

The ICPC claimed, in a supporting affidavit, that preliminary investigation so tar revealed that over N30b was allegedly diverted into private pockets by staff of the council.”

It added: “The respondent (Okoya) was alleged to nave been involved in the massive corruption as revealed by preliminary investigation findings.

“During preliminary investigation, it was revealed that the respondent is a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United States of America and has travel documents of both countries in his possession.

“The respondent also has three residential buildings in Maryland, in the United States of America.

“The respondent’s entire family lives in the United States of America. Some of the alleged funds are suspected to have been laundered to the United States of America.

“The investigation is still at preliminary stage and more mind boggling corrupts practices are likely to be unearthed in the course of the investigation in view of the discoveries at this preliminary stage.

“The respondent, being a dual citizen of Nigeria and the USA, ad holds travel documents of both countries, will likely impede the smooth conduct of investigation of the allegations of corrupt practices against him if he uses same to leave the country.

“The respondent also constitutes a flight risk to the ongoing investigation and, in the event that he absconds, it will be difficult to bring him back to Nigeria from the USA,” the ICPC said.