EFCC arraigns man over N27 million contract scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned Clifford Nduka Nwachukwu and Jethrow Nigeria Limited before Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on one-count charge bordering on stealing.

A statement by the commission’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, stated that “Nwachukwu’s problem started sometime in January 2013, when Jethrow Limited, a company owned by him, was awarded a contract to refurbish, rehabilitate and re-install six (6)  Steel Skirt Navigational Marking Buoys at Calabar Port, for a total sum of N27million (Twenty-Seven Million Naira only), by Abhal Ventures Limited through Alhaji Abu Mohammed.

“N15,000,000 was reportedly given to Jethrow Nigeria Limited as advance payment. An additional sum of N9,000,000 (Nine Million Naira only) was paid in September 2013, while the balance of N3, 000,000 (three million naira only) was to be paid upon completion of the job. Since the N9 million was paid to Jethrow Nigeria Limited, Nwachukwu allegedly refused to mobilise to site, to complete the project, and diverted the money to personal use.”

The one-count charge reads: “That you Clifford Nduka Nwanchukwu and Jethrow Nigeria Limited on or about the 2nd September, 2013 at Ikoyi, within the Ikeja Judiciary Division of this honourable court stole the sum of Sixty Thousand United States of America Dollars ($60,000) only, property of Mr. Abdulrahman Girei Halihu and Abhal Ventures Limited.”

He has been remanded in Kiri Kiri prisons.