The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has announced the arrest of Adam Imam Yusuf, a Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin (rtd.), over the alleged fraudulent diversion of more than N3 billion.
The ICPC disclosed this in a statement on Friday, titled “ICPC Arrests NSCDC Deputy Commandant and Former Navy Admiral Over Alleged N3 Billion Fraud.”
Yusuf was reportedly taken into ICPC custody from his residence in Gwagwalada, Abuja.
Naijaonpoint previously reported that the Federal High Court, Abuja, had in March 2024 ordered the arrest of Jibrin and two other officers over N1.5 billion money laundering charges instituted against them by the ICPC.
Naijaonpoint earlier reported that a bench warrant was issued against Jibrin and others by Justice Inyang Ekwo in a motion ex parte marked FHC/ABJ/CR/158/2023, filed by ICPC counsel Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha.
Listed as first to sixth defendants in the 17-count charge are: Usman Jibrin Oyibe, Adam Imam Yusuf, Brigadier General Ishaya Gangum Bauka, Lahab Integrated & Multi Services Limited, Gate Coast Properties International Limited and Ummays Hummayd Energy Ltd.
One of the counts read:
“That you, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin Oyibe (M), sometime in March 2015 or thereabout, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while serving as the Chief of Naval Staff of the Nigerian Navy, did take possession of the sum of N22,000,000.00 (Twenty-Two Million Naira) deposited by Sand Prop Ltd into the Zenith Bank account number: 1013913028 of Gate Coast Properties International Limited, a company account which bears your signature, against the name and passport photograph of one Lami Idum as the sole signatory. This sum, which you reasonably ought to have known, formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: fraud. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Justice Ekwo had approved the bench warrant following ICPC’s submissions.
In a statement on Friday, the ICPC disclosed that its investigations revealed that Jibrin (rtd.) allegedly orchestrated the fraud through Yusuf and former Brigadier General Ishaya Bauka Gangum (rtd.).
“The alleged scheme reportedly involved the diversion of public funds using 92 fictitious companies that were not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC),” the statement read.
The ICPC disclosed that it is now set to prosecute those arrested and is intensifying efforts to apprehend other suspects still at large.