The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has announced that the outgoing chairman of Kuje Area Council of the FCT, Mr. Tete Shaban is now in its custody over an alleged N17.5 million fraud.
A statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, the spokesman of the commission, disclosed that Shaban was arrested on Tuesday for offences bordering on obtaining by false pretence and abuse of office.
It said his arrest followed a petition submitted by a businessman, Mr Najumudeen Gidado in 2014, which claimed that his company, Trade Executive Network Limited, bid for the reconstruction and modernization of Kuje Main Market.
The statement said the petitioner’s company was awarded the contract and a Memorandum of Understanding was signed.
It said Gidado alleged that Shaban consequent upon the approval demanded for the sum of N17.5 million as kickback to influence the approval of the contract for his company, which he paid.
“I later paid the money into his accounts domiciled in Zenith and FCMB Banks,” the statement quoted Gidado as saying.
The statement further disclosed that Gidado was, however, denied the contract , even as the chairman had since then not refunded the petitioner and had not provided an explanation in that regard.
