The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has declared the Chairman, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Dele Oye and Mrs. Nananshettu Bedell wanted in connection with the ongoing investigation in the banking sector.
Both suspects who are close associates of the former Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Oceanic Bank, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru are wanted for offences bordering on conspiracy, aiding and abetting, and money laundering running into billions of naira.
The anti-graft agency in a statement on Sunday said the suspects were declared wanted after all efforts to get them to honour the Commission’s invitation failed.
“The Commission enjoins anyone with useful information that could lead to their arrest to contact any of its offices in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Gombe, Port Harcourt and Enugu,” it added.
On August 14, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) headed by Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi had sacked five banks including those of Intercontinental Bank, Finbank, Oceanic Bank, Afribank and Union Bank over unethical and illegal practices.
The anti-graft agency quickly stepped in to recover the N747billion non-performing loans granted by the banks to corporate entities and individuals, with a seven-day ultimatum to the high profile debtors to pay up. The ultimatum expired last week. While at least N40billion has been recovered so far, the EFCC has stepped up manhunt for debtors yet to meet their obligations to the banks.
Mrs. Bedell, former personal secretary to Mrs. Cecilia Ibru’s husband, who is believed to be Priscillia Bedell and Nanashetu Abdulai, according to the list of debtors released by the apex bank, is said to be indebted to Oceanic Bank to the tune of over N16billion.
The former Oceanic Bank managing director who was declared wanted penultimate Sunday reported to the EFCC Ikoyi, Lagos office on Wednesday and has since been in detention. sunnewsonline
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