Anyim, 3 others for trial over $18.3bn Abuja Centenary City dirty deals
After the pumps and pageantries that trialed the takeoff of the $18.3bn Centenary City project introduced in 2014 to commemorate Nigeria’s 100 years anniversary, the story seemed to be changing following the discovery of irregularities perpetuated by the promoters in land grabbing and round-tripping.
Relying on the House Committee on FCT report presented by its chairman, Hon. Herman Hembe which roundly indicted the promoters of the project on grounds of abuse of Jonathan’s presidential directives and also flouted existing laws guiding the Abuja land swap policy to suit personal and other business interests, the Committee of the Whole recommended for arrest and trial of the named persons.
Key promoters listed for prosecution along with former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim include a former Minister of the FCT, Mr. Bala Mohammed; Ms. Boma Ozobia; and Mr. Paul Oki, both of which were the sole directors of Centenary City Plc, a firm incorporated as a Special Purpose vehicle (SPV) to drive the scheme.
Already, the House of Representatives has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission to prosecute all the persons linked in the land deal.
Key and leading recommendation of the House Thursday is that Senator Anyim and the rest three should be prosecuted and public funds spent on it recovered for the Federal Government.
The public land acquired for the city covered about 1,267 hectares and the laundering of the land started from failed land swap to declaration of the land as Export Processing Zone to private sector driven Centenary City. So much has been spent on the scheme but there is nothing to show for it. This puzzle forced the House of Reps. to beam its oversight function searchlights to discover the need for the recovery of drained public fund.
