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Nigerian ex-president’s campaign chief held for alleged graft
LAGOS, Dec 26, 2017 (BSS/AFP) – The former campaign chief of Nigeria’s
ex-president Goodluck Jonathan has been arrested for allegedly stealing $48.5
million from state coffers to fund his failed 2015 re-election bid, an
official said Tuesday.
Ngozi Olojeme was head of Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and
siphoned off this amount from the fund, an official from the national anti-
corruption agency EFCC told AFP.
“She is in our custody for an alleged fraud totally $48,485,127 belonging
to NSITF,” he said, and added that the EFCC had also seized 38 properties
traced to Olojeme.
“The properties have been placed under an interim forfeiture in line with
a court injunction pending further investigation and trial,” he said.
Key members of the Jonathan administration have been arrested and charged
with corruption by the government of President Mohammadu Buhari, who won the
2015 election.
Buhari’s electoral pledges included a promise to rid Nigeria of endemic
corruption which has stunted its growth.
Critics have accused Buhari of a witch-hunt as only members of the
opposition have been targeted in the corruption campaign.
BSS/AFP/MRI/ 1723 hrs