Ann Igwe, secretary to Abdulrasheed Maina, a former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
A source close to the commission told PREMIUM TIMES that Ms. Igwe was picked up last week and has given “useful information”.
The anti-graft agency is investigating how the biometric contract to streamline pension administration became a conduit for stealing pension fund.
In December 2013, the EFCC uncovered how Steve Oronsaye, a former head of service, and other top directors of the Nigerian civil service colluded to allegedly defraud the nation of N6.2 billion pension fund.
The fund was allegedly stolen through a maze of bogus contracts for biometric enrolment and payment for computer accessories that were never supplied.
It was gathered that between 2009 and 2010, almost N6 billion in fake contracts were awarded and paid for under Mr. Oronsaye’s supervision.
The anti-graft agency said, Innovative Solutions and Project Limited, a company allegedly handpicked by Mr. Oronsaye, received a contract of N63 million for biometric data capture. The contract, however, served as a conduit through which three individuals and five companies got over N705million.
Other companies which had no contract to participate in the biometric data capture exercise but were paid included Frederick Hamilton Global Limited, which received N119,398,500; Xangee Technologies got N153,146,719; Fatidek Venture received N30,056,000; while Obanlado Enterprises was paid N96,765,400.
Credit: Premium Times
