Former President Jonathan’s Cousin Arrested Over $40m Contract Scam

 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested the Managing Director of Katakar Civil Engineering Company, Mr. Azibaola Robert, and an Executive Director of the company, Mr. Dakoru Atukpa, over a $40m pipeline contract.

The contract, it was learnt on Wednesday, was awarded by the Office of the National Security Adviser under the leadership of Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

Robert, who is a cousin to former President Goodluck Jonathan, has, however, described his arrest as a witch-hunt, insisting that the contract was transparent.
The arrest of Robert and Atukpa was sequel to a list sent to the EFCC by a committee set up by the Federal Government to probe contracts awarded by the ONSA from 2011 to 2015, which indicted more than 300 companies and prominent citizens, including serving and retired officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces.


It was learnt that the EFCC, on March 23, 2016, arrested Robert and Atukpa on the allegation of diversion of $40m public funds through Oneplus Holdings, a sister company of Kakatar Construction and Engineering Company Limited.

Oneplus Holdings is among the 300 firms under investigation by the Federal Government.

The spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, told our correspondent that the arrest was not a witch-hunt, alleging that the suspects received $40m from the ONSA for a dubious contract to supply “tactical equipment”.”