$9.8 million Found In My House Were Gifts – Yakubu, Ex-NNPC GMD
Former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Andrew Yakubu has claimed that the $9,772,800 (Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Seven Two Thousand, Eight Hundred United States Dollars) and £74,000 (Seventy Four Thousand Pound Sterling) cash found in his house by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were gifts from unnamed persons.
A special operation was conducted by operatives of the EFCC on February 3, 2017 on a building belonging to the Yakubu which led to the recovery of the monies in foreign currencies.
A statement by the anti-graft agency said the huge cash was hidden in a fire proof safe, adding that the surprise raid of the facility was sequel to an intelligence which the commission received about suspected proceeds of crime believed to be hidden in the slums of Sabon Tasha area of Kaduna.
The EFCC further said that on arrival at the facility, the caretaker of the house, one Bitrus Yakubu, a younger brother to Andrew Yakubu, disclosed that both the house and the safe where the money was found belong to his brother, Andrew Yakubu.
The EFCC statement which was signed by Wilson Uwujare, who is head of Media and Publicity of the Commission said; “When the safe was opened it was discovered that it contained the sum of $9,772,800 (Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Seventy Two Thousand, Eight Hundred United States Dollars) and another sum of £74,000 (Seventy Four Thousand Pound Sterling).”
Uwujare further said that Dr. Yakubu reported to the Commission’s Zonal office in Kano on February 8, 2017, and made statement admitting ownership of the recovered money, saying that the monies were gifts from unnamed persons.
Yukubu, who is believed to be detained by the EFCC, is currently assisting in the investigation.
