High profile corruption: How Alao-Akala, Sani Lulu reportedly ran down Oyo State, NFF

In our review of high profile corruption trials today, former governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Christopher Alao-Akala, was indicted in N11.5 billion money laundering scandal.

Also, former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Sani Lulu Abdullahi allegedly fleeced the Federation of N2.2 billion.

Read on:

Otunba Alao-Akala – N11.5 billion money laundering

Justice Olalekan Owolabi of a State High Court, sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State on March 13, 2019, adjourned the trial of a former governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Christopher Alao-Akala, to May 2, 2019.

At the proceeding, counsel for the EFCC, Ben Ubi, informed the court that the second prosecution witness, Abdulrasheed Bawa, who was meant to testify in court was now the Head of Operations of the EFCC Port Harcourt Zonal Office, and was unable to make it to court, due to election duties.

“My Lord the reason our witness is not in court today is because he is involved in the election processes in Rivers State,” he said, praying the court for an adjournment.

Counsel for the first and third defendants, Hakeem Afolabi, SAN, and his counterpart, Richard Ogunwole, SAN, holding the brief of the second defendant did not oppose the prayer.

Otunba Alao-Akala, a former Governor of Oyo State was facing corruption and money laundering charges.

The former governor alongside a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters and for Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Hosea Agboola, and an Ibadan-based business man, Femi Babalola, were arraigned by the EFCC before Justice Moshood Abass of Oyo State High Court II in October 2011, on 11 count charge involving N11.5 billion in suit No: 1/5EFCC/201.

The case was pending until March 5, 2015, when Akala and two others were re-arraigned at an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan.

On June 4, 2018, Justice M. L. Owolabi of the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan dismissed an application for stay of proceedings pending the outcome of an appeal at the Supreme Court.

The application was filed by a former governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala and the Chief Executive Officer of Pentagon Consults, Olufemi Babalola.

Justice Owolabi, in his ruling, said the stay of proceedings requested for will do more damage to the case which has been pending since 2011.

The case was still pending until January 12, 2022.

On that fateful day, News Band broke the news that the former governor was dead.

Otunba Alao-Akala reportedly died early Wednesday in Igbomoso aged 71.

Sani Lulu Abdullahi -N2.2 billion fraud

On Monday, July 29 2019, the former FCT Director of Sports, Sani Lulu Abdullahi, paid his N22.5m fee for nomination and expression of interest form for the APC Kogi State governorship primary election held on August 29 where he lost to the incumbent governor, Yahya Bello of Kogi State.

The Appeal Court in Abuja had on Tuesday February 6, 2018, cleared Sani Lulu Abdullahi of any complicity or wrongdoing in the N2.2 billion corruption charges leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Sani Lulu Abdullahi, a former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) alongside former First Vice President Amanze Uchegbulam, former Executive Committee member, Taiwo Ogunjobi, and former Secretary General, Bolaji Ojo-Oba were questioned on July 6, 2010, by the EFCC.

The charges brought against the quartet were:

• payment of estacodes/allowances of $800,000 to 220 delegates to the World Cup in South Africa, whereas only 47 were authorized,
• mismanagement of N900 million World Cup funds;
• purchase of over-inflated luxury buses for the Super Eagles;
• incurring a $125,000 fine in South Africa over a deal with Hampshire Hotel;
• mismanagement of $250,000 to charter a faulty aircraft for the Super Eagles from London to South Africa; and,
• spending $400,000 for a friendly match between Colombia and Nigeria in London.

The accused persons appealed the judgment.

However, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on February 6, 2018, set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered on February 22nd, 2016, by Justice E. S. Chukwu which dismissed a ‘no case submission’ filed by Sani Abdullahi Lulu, a former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in the corruption charge brought against him and three others by the EFCC.

Justice Ahmad Belgore in his judgment, said: “This appeal has merit and the judgment of the Federal High Court delivered on February 22, 2016 is hereby set aside and the appellant, Sani Abdullahi Lulu is discharged and acquitted.”

Case closed.

Read also:

High profile corruption: Gbenga Daniel’s N2.6b fraud vs Borishade’s N5.2b scam

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[This Publication includes part of a compendium by Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) covering corruption cases as at 22nd of November, 2019.

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