After about 10 months of dilly-dallying, former Aviation Minister Stella Oduah yesterday appeared before an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) panel.
She was grilled for about eight hours by detectives over a N9, 443,549,531.25 contract awarded to I-Sec Security Nigeria Limited for the procurement and installation of security equipment in 22 airports.
She showed up as the agency got set to declare her wanted.
A United States (U.S.) firm, Psybernetix Limited, has alleged that the ex-minister hijacked the contract for a firm in which she has a stake.
The EFCC may invite the representatives of the US company to testify against Mrs. Oduah, it was learnt yesterday.
According to a source, Mrs Oduah, who arrived at the EFCC Abuja office at about 11am, was immediately taken to a team of detectives for interrogation.
The source, who pleaded not to be named, said: “After shifting many appointments in the last 10 months, Sen. Stella Oduah came for grilling on the N9, 443,549,531.25 contracts awarded to I-Sec Security Nigeria Limited for the procurement and installation of security equipment in 22 airports across the country.
“We invited her since 13th June, 2017 but she kept giving excuses. We were about to declare her wanted when she appeared before our team.
“The allegations against her include non-execution of the project in some airports, abandonment of the contract in a few ones, diversion of part of the contract sum and a suspected case of money laundering.
“We have taken her statement and from this preliminary interrogation, she will still need to come again because many people and organisations are coming up with figures.”