Fake consultant admits to collecting $3m contract from governors forum

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has applied for the forfeiture of over N1.823billion by some consultants hired by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).

Besides, a suspect, Mr. Ifeanyi Okafor, has told EFCC detectives that he was a “fictitious consultant” to the NGF, which paid him $3 million from the loan repayment to states.


He said his company, Mountain Crest, was hired by the Governors Forum for an unexecuted consultancy job, it was learnt yesterday.

Apart from  Ifeanyi, four other consultants have been invited for interrogation by the anti-graft commission.

According to a source, who pleaded not to be named in order not to jeopardise the probe

“We have gone to court on some payments made to some consultants by the NGF. We filed two applications before the court, but we could not secure final forfeiture because the court was on vacation and the matters were adjourned till October.
“Our detectives found that N3.5billion was paid to Melrose General Services Company but only N1.2billion was discovered when the investigation of the diversion of the London-Paris Club refund started. We have initiated a court process for the final forfeiture of the N1.2billion to the Federal Government. We need to perfect the forfeiture with a court order.”

Of the cash given to some entities through Melrose, N220 million has been recovered into the Federation Account.

The source added:

“About $3million was paid into the corporate  account of Mountain Crest Limited by the NGF.  From  the cash, $1million was remitted into the account of a company, Gosh Project. We have succeeded in recovering $500,000 which we transferred to the government’s account. But we have applied to the court for the final  forfeiture of the money.
“Out of the balance of $500,000, we got another N100million from Gosh Project. The recovered cash was part of what was invested in Treasury Bills. Another share of the money is being used for a hotel project in Lekki, Lagos State.”

 Responding to a question, the source said:

 “The EFCC is going to recover the remaining $2million and it will charge the company and all those involved to court with corrupt payment,  aiding and abetting diversion of public funds.”

The Nation