Queen Zainab Duke-Abiola, the Akasoba of Kalabari land in the Niger Delta, said she has evidence that a former minister in former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet stole $9.3 billion not $6billion as earlier announced by Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state.
Duke-Abiola, who is one of the wives of late Chief Moshood Abiola made the disclosure while speaking to THE NATION. She said, ”According to the information available to us, the minister stole more than $9 billion; not Australian dollars, but US dollars”.
When asked how she could prove this allegation,Duke-Abiola said she was in Washington DC during President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit, and that she met with White House officials who revealed the information to her.
”My relationship with White House is over 30 years. Americans are very eager to make sure that the money gets back. They want Nigeria to use that money for education. Oshiomhole said it’s about $6 billion. Information available to me states that the minister and her associates siphoned away $9.3 billion. I’m watching the game that they’re playing. If they don’t publish the evidence, I have document to support this”, she said.
She insisted that members of the presidential delegation were focusing on the $6 billion allegedly stolen by a minister in former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet, leaving out ”the remaining $3.3 billion” because some people from a section of the country are involved”
”If Buhari is not sure of his fact and figures, he should go back to Washington DC. If I read in the papers that they say $9 billion, I would keep quiet. But why are they saying only $6 billion?”
”Some people said that much money couldn’t have been stolen”, she said, adding: “I was one of those who didn’t believe. When they gave me the document, I was shocked. I have sent it to the appropriate Niger Delta elders. So, we know that nobody is accusing anybody wrongly,” she said.
