of Nigeria parades a long list of suspected thieves more
than the number any anti -graft agency can prosecute in
one administration . The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC have investigated a good number of
the serving senators at one time or the other for
embezzlement, money laundering , diversion of public
funds and other criminal charges .
In fact , nine of the lawmakers including the senate
president are currently involved in corruption cases that
have reached various stages of trials in courts.
SR profiles these lawmakers with blemished records of
public service .
1. Bukola Abubakar Saraki
Senator Bukola Saraki , the Senate president of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria is a man whose name has
become a major topic in the discussion about
corruption in Nigeria. He represents Kwara Central
constituency at the upper chamber. The senator, in
connivance with his aides and associates , allegedly
laundered N 3. 5 billion traced to the Paris Club loan
refund to states. The senate president also allegedly
acquired assets beyond his legitimate earnings while he
served as a governor of Kwara State for eight years and
operates off -shore accounts in violation of the law
which forbids a public officer to own bank account
abroad .
He is currently facing a 13-count charge at the Code of
Conduct Tribunal ( CCT) , and his spouse, Mrs . Toyin
Saraki, has a file at the EFCC over alleged squandering
of Kwara State funds .
His bid to stop the trial at the CCT suffered a setback
at the Supreme Court last year when the court
dismissed his appeal and upheld an earlier decision by
the Court of Appeal , ordering him to face trial at the
tribunal . Saraki , a medical doctor by training , reportedly
emptied the treasury of his father ’ s bank Societe
Generale Bank of Nigeria (SGBN ) when he served as an
executive director . The bank finally collapsed in 2003
after the Saraki Dynasty recklessly looted to fund their
political activities that saw Bukola become the Governor
of Kwara state in 2003 . Mr . Saraki’ s thieving career
started in 1990 according to police documents.
“Office of the Inspector General of Police , detailed a
scheme by the siblings Bukola and Gbemi Saraki , along
with Tokunbo Salami , Jude Iluyomade , and Mohammed
Bashir . From 1990 to 2000, according to the Inspector
General’ s report dated August 21st 1990 , Ms. Gbemi
Saraki worked in the Treasury Department of Societe
Generale Bank Nigeria while now -Senate President
Bukola Saraki was a director of the bank. The Saraki
family owned the largest shares of any Nigerian in the
bank, a fact they exploited to obtain unsecured loans
and engage in several other illicit transactions that saw
to the bank’ s demise.
In one letter to Nigeria’ s Inspector General of Police ,
Societe Generale Paris , which owned a majority stake
of Societe Generale Nigeria , accused the Sarakis and
their cohorts of defrauding the bank out of 510 , 000
Naira through illegal and “ unauthorized withdrawals of
money. ”
Part of the letter read , “ the amount , in this particular
case, N 510 , 000 , was cashed by Miss Gbemi Saraki —
the daughter of Dr . Olusola Saraki [ Senator Saraki ’ s
father] . Miss. Gbemi Saraki works in the Treasury
Department of Societe Generale Bank (Nigeria) Limited
where the alleged thefts constantly take place… Miss
Saraki signed for the collection of the cash. ”
The letter also accused their father , Olusola Saraki ,
who died on November 14, 2012, of involvement in
“stealing N 8. 5 million out of N 10 million illegally
withdrawn from the account of the Bank to purchase a
house in Ikoyi . ”
2. Godswill Obot Akpabio
The senator representing Akwa Ibom North- West, Ikot
Ekpene is the minority leader in the Senate. He was the
governor of Akwa Ibom State for eight years . EFCC has
alleged him of appropriating N 108. 1 billion of Akwa Ibom
funds. Sources close to the governor alleged he has
embezzled a lot more than what EFCC is charging him
for .
Akpabio, who is the vice chairman of the Senate
Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal
Matters, was twice invited by the EFCC in 2015 , over
the allegation of fraud. The anti -graft body in February
2017 impounded a school building in Akwa Ibom
belonging to his wife pending completion of the
investigation .
3. Ben Murray -Bruce
The Bayelsa Senator Benjamin Murray-Bruce , former
Director General of Nigerian Television Authority
between 1999 and 2003 , allegedly diverted a loan he
obtained from Union Bank of Nigeria to purchase a posh
property in Beverly Hills , California in 2007 . Bruce and
his brothers used their companies to borrow funds from
the bank at various times , and they repeatedly defaulted
in paying back. Asset Management Corporation of
Nigeria, AMCON purchased the loan in 2011 to save the
bank from collapsing . AMCON is now seizing the assets
belonging to the three companies used in securing the
loan – Silverbird Productions Limited , Silverbird
Showtime Limited , and Silverbird Galleria Limited .
Mr. Bruce , the self -proclaimed “ Commonsense
Senator”, was one of the most vocal senators during
the # BuyNaijaToGrowTheNaira, a movement that
criticizes those who needlessly import foreign goods .
He touted his reputation for building businesses in
Nigeria to champion the importance of domestic
investment in goods .
Sources from different banks in Nigeria told
SaharaReporters that the N 11 billion loan Bruce took
out from Union Bank around 2007 was supposed to be
used to construct the Abuja Entertainment Center. But
instead of using the loan to fund his Nigerian business
operations, he diverted it to purchase an opulent
property in the Beverly Hills area of Los Angeles and
London.
The Los Angeles County Property Assessor’ s Office , the
Real Estate Records office , and the Special
Investigation unit confirmed to SaharaReporters that
the Nigerian senator from Bayelsa State purchased a
property on August 6th, 2007 and remains the owner .
The address is 605 North Camden Drive , Beverly Hills,
CA 90210 .
A public records search , also confirmed by municipal
employees in Los Angeles County, assessed the value
of Senator Bruce ’ s land at $3. 1 million . The value of the
mansion and other structures at the property was
estimated at no less than $795, 000 .
The senator ’s Beverly Hills swanky property has four
bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a swimming pool and
is estimated to be at least 2, 777 square feet .
Assessments of real estate platforms show that the
property is worth $5 million as of today .
4. Dino Melaye
Self- styled progressive and anti -corruption activist ,
Senator Dino Melaye a. k . a “Daniel Jonah Melaye” is the
Senator representing Kogi West. He illegally operates
foreign accounts in the United States, despite that the
Nigerian law forbids a public officer to operate a foreign
account . Melaye operates a current account with
number 4460 1649 8396 under the name “CampusEdge ,
senatorial” and regular savings account with account
number 4460 1647 5966 with Bank of America in the
state of Maryland. He is a close ally of the embattled
Senator Saraki .
The senator recently bought a home in Abuja valued at
N 1. 3 billion ($6. 5 million ). The house is located at 11
Sangha Street, off Mississippi Street , in the Maitama
upscale neighborhood of the city . Mr . Melaye who
recently embroiled in a certificate scandal has no
publicly known source of income , yet he parades a
variety luxury automobiles emblazoned with vanity
license plates customized to his adopted name .
5. Joshua Chibi Dariye
Senator Joshua Dariye , former governor of Plateau
State, is representing Plateau Central senatorial district
in the Senate. He was the governor of Plateau State
from 1999 to 2003 and was re-elected in 2003 before
he was impeached in 2006 .
The senator is being prosecuted by EFCC, on a 23-
count charge bordering on money laundering and
diversion. Dariye is alleged to have siphoned the state’ s
ecological fund to the tune of N 1. 162 billion . Before his
arrest and trial in Nigeria, Dariye was first arrested for
money laundering in London in 2004 . However , he
jumped bail and fled to Nigeria before charges were
filed against him in the UK. He is the chairman Senate
Committee on Solid Minerals .
6. Peter Nwaobosi
Senator Peter Nwaobosi is a senator representing Delta
North and the Chairman Senate Committee on Niger
Delta Affairs. The Senator and his brother Augustine
Nwaoboshi have been alleged of defrauding Delta State
to the tune of N 2. 1 billion . The two men shortchanged
the people of Delta by supplying used equipment in
place of new ones to Delta State government and went
away with N 2 . 1 billion . The Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, Senator is reported to have used the proceeds to
acquire several properties in Lagos and Delta States
using his companies as fronts . The senators and his
brother allegedly operate over 20 bank accounts for
fraudulent purposes .
7. Stella Odua -Ogiemwonyi
EFCC has traced N 3 . 6b in stolen funds to former
Minister of Aviation Stella Oduah .
As Minister of Aviation , Ms. Oduah secured several
multi -billion naira contracts to upgrade Nigeria’ s 22
airports. It was later revealed that much of this money
went into the minister ’s private account and that the
program’ s progress that she touted was grossly
overstated. Documents made available to
SaharaReporters showed that of the 192 contracts
awarded in the second phase of the program , only six
were completed .
Ms. Oduah first came under scrutiny after compelling
the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to buy her two
bulletproof BMWs valued at N 255m . The House of
Representatives and a presidential committee indicted
the minister for violating the country ’ s procurement
regulations.
8. Buruji Kashamu
Buruji Kashamu is a Nigerian senator representing
Senatorial district, and the vice chairman of the Senate
Committee on States and Local Governments.
The senator is wanted in the United States for being a
drug baron; he has for a long time avoided traveling to
the US . The elections tribunal court in Nigeria annulled
his election but was later upheld by the Appeal Court .
His case is still in court.
9. Theodore Ahamefule Orji
Theodore Orji representing Abia Central senatorial
district was the former governor in his state. Orji
together with his wife and son allegedly looted his state
to the tune of N 47 billion He was accused of
embezzlement of funds that were meant for the several
development projects in the state. His case is still
pending.
10. Lt. General Jeremiah Timbut Useni
Lt. General Jeremiah Useni , a senator representing
Plateau South was the Federal Capital Territory Minister
during General Sanni Abacha regime. He served Nigeria
in various capacities as Minister for Transport and as
Quarter -Master General of the Nigeria Army and was
accused of looting the public fund running to billions
along with his principal , Abacha .
The media reported in 1998 that over N 4 billion was
found in his palatial country home at Langtang by the
combined team of SSS and DMI officers , and over N 2
billion of the money was in foreign currency. Also found
at his house in the millionaires ’ quarters on the British-
American road Jos , were a dozen of coaster buses then
valued at N 110 million , brand new Peugeot cars , jeeps
and nine latest models of Mercedes-Benz cars.
Sources in Jos, who witnessed the raid , said they saw
several bags of money being moved out of Useni ’ s
house where he has an underground vault . Like several
other army generals who looted the treasury during
Abacha regime, he is yet to be prosecuted by any anti-
graft agency.
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