A Federal Capital Territory (FCT), High Court 9, sitting in Maitama, and presided over by Justice Olusegun Adeniyi, will in coming months determine the veracity of the claim by an official of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that the former Surveyor-General of the Federation, Dr. Ebisintei B. Awudu, collected bribes from contractors handling government projects and passed same on to members of the National Assembly (NASS) and other top government functionaries.
Awudu was until 2013 a civil servant with the Bayelsa State Civil Service. That year, he transferred his service from Bayelsa State to the Federal Civil Service as a Director in the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation. In 2015, he was appointed as the substantive Surveyor-General of the Federation.
However, on 12th July 2021, he was arraigned by ICPC on a 22-count charge bordering on alleged abuse of office, gratification and virement and fraudulent diversion of N2.8 billion thereby contravening sections 19, 10 (a) (i) and 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and punishable under the same section 10(a)(ii) of the same Act.
The charge in part reads, “That you Surveyor Ebisintei B. Awudu between 16th November 2017 and January 2018, used your official position as the Surveyor-General of the Federation to confer an unfair advantage upon a relation and associate by awarding five different contracts with a total sum of N808,592,200 ( Eight Hundred and Eight Million, Five Hundred and Ninety-Two Thousand, Two Hundred Naira) only to Geolev Nigeria Ltd., which company you had been a Director, wherein your half-brother and other associates are still Directors, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000”.
It was alleged that the sum of 0ne Billion, Two Hundred and Fifty-Three Million, Four Hundred and Twenty-Eight Thousand and Two Hundred and Sixty-Nine naira (N1,253,428,269) only was collected by the accused at different times between February and December 2018, from various contractors handling projects for the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation as gratification.
It was also alleged that without appropriate approval, Awudu allegedly diverted the sum of Forty Million, Three Hundred and Fifty-Six Thousand and Forty-Six Naira (N40, 356,060.46) only, allocated for the purchase of two Toyota Hilux vehicles to purchase a Toyota Land Cruiser, and also One Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (N1,800,000.00) only, allocation meant for International Earth Science Summit and Remote Sensing Conference and Training to acquiring Information and Technology Equipment.
The accused person had on that occasion pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him, as his counsel, F.B. Orogun, pleaded with the court to grant bail on liberal terms on medical grounds.
However, the counsel to ICPC, Wahab Shittu of W. K. Shittu & Co. had filed a counter-affidavit opposing the bail application hinging it on the fact that it was not tenable, and that there was the likelihood that the defendant would evade trial.
Shittu, therefore, urged the court to impose stringent conditions that will make Awudu attend trial without fail if the court was minded to grant bail.
The trial judge ruled that the accused, having enjoyed administrative bail by the state, granted him bail in the sum of N100 million with one surety in like sum. The surety must be a Nigerian citizen employed in the civil service of the federation or any of the agencies of the government or the service of the Federal Capital Territory Administration or any of its agencies.
The surety shall not be below the rank of a Permanent Secretary or Director-General of a government agency. He shall deposit all international travelling documents with the senior registrar of the court throughout the case. The defendant shall be kept in the detention facility of ICPC pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions.
The Judge thereafter adjourned the matter to 13th, 14th, 16th and 17th of September, 2021 for further hearing.
However, at the commencement of trial on 14th September, an investigator with ICPC reeled a potpourri of infractions of the law perpetrated by Awudu. Led in evidence by ICPC counsel, Wahab Kunle Shitttu, Oshinyemi Oluwasegun, who works in the Financial Investigation Unit of the anti-graft commission, told Justice Adeniyi of how Awudu convened series of meetings at hotels and in his office with contractors, and at such meetings, he (Dr. Awudu) allegedly asked and instructed the contractors to pay 35% to 60% of the value of their contracts.
“He informed them that the money he requested from them was meant to settle some people who have stakes in the contracts which included the National Assembly, the Bureau of Public Procurement, the consultant to OSGOF (Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation) and for staff welfare. The defendant gave the contractors the Bureau De Change companies that they should pay money to, which will be brought to him in dollars equivalent,”
Oshinyemi further informed the court that Awudu awarded various contracts to Kassim Surveys Limited, Quest Consolidated Limited, M. Yahaya and Associates, Caldave Consults, GeoHydro Surveys Limited and Altruinco Services Limited. “The value of the contracts awarded to these companies between 2016 and 2019 was over Five Billion naira (N5 billion) only. The contracts were awarded under fraudulent and shady circumstances favouring these contractors as observed by even the Bureau of Public Procurement. These contracts were executed and fully paid for by the OSGOF, on the approval of the defendant”.
Giving further details, Oshinyemi testified that in compliance with directives issued by Awudu, the contractors paid various sums of money to him through Bureau De Change. He listed the Bureau De Change to include Gongola Global Concepts Ltd and Dorayi Links Bussiness Enterprise. He also told the court that the monies paid into the accounts of the Bureau De Change were collected in dollars by Surveyor Adeyemi Adebomehin, the Director of Geodesy at the OSGOF, and handed over to Awudu.
Furthermore, he testified that Mr. Kassim Fuad Adekunle, the Managing Director of F. A. Kassim Surveys Limited gave a total of Three Hundred and Ten Million, Nine Hundred and Sixteen Thousand, Six Hundred Fifty-Nine Thousand naira (N310,916,659) only, to Dr. Awudu between 10th of April, 2018 and 4th August 2018.
According to him, “In April 2018, he gave the defendant (Dr. Awudu) One Hundred and Eighty-Seven Million, Three Hundred and Ninety-Seven Thousand, Two Hundred and Ninety Naira (N187, 396, 290) only, and in May 2018 he gave him the sum of Thirty-Four Million, Five Hundred and Twenty Thousand and Three Hundred and Sixty-Nine naira (N34,520,369) only.
” Between April and May 2018, Mr. Abiodun Awofeko, the Managing Director of Quest Consolidated gave Dr. Awudu the sum of Sixty Million, Five Hundred and Nineteen Thousand, Six Hundred and Forty-Three naira (N60, 519, 643) only.
“Dr. Awudu received a total sum of Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand dollars ($650,000) only from Mr Muhammed Nadu Yahaya, the Managing Director of M. Yahaya and Associate.
“Dr. Awudu received a total sum of N65,000,000 from Mr Charlesye David Charles, the Managing Director of Carldave Consults between 13th November 2018 and 10th of December 2018, and specifically received from him on the 13th of November 2018 the sum of Thirty-Five Million naira (N35,000,000) only.
“Dr. Awudu received a total sum of One Hundred and Two Million and Five Hundred and Forty Thousand (N102,540,000) only from the Managing Director of Geo-Hydro Surveys Limited, Mr. Bukman Deinne between February and July 2018. The defendant (Dr. Awudu) specifically received the sum of Fifty Million Naira (N50,000,000) only, from him on 28th July and also specifically received Forty-Six Million and Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N46, 550, 000) only, from Mr. Bukman Deinne in February 2018.
“Dr. Awudu received a total sum of Twenty Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety-One Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty-Nine naira (N20,991,429, 59) only, from Mr.Sani Nuhu between 10th April and 30th April 2018 and specifically received the sum of Fourteen Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety- Three Thousand, Eight Hundred and Seventy-Eight naira (N14,993,878) from him on the 10th April 2018”.
Oshinyemi further told the court that upon receipt of the petition written against the erstwhile Surveyor-General, which was assigned to his team, his team wrote letters to many agencies including the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the Bureau of Public Procurement and banks. While further stating that the letters were replied to and that requested documents were forwarded by the agencies, he said his team also invited officials of the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation who volunteered statements.
Oshinyemi however told the court that in 2014, while still working as a Director in the office of Surveyor-General of the Federation, Awudu’s company, Geolev Nigeria Limited, where, at the time, was a Director and a shareholder, was awarded a contract worth Two Million, Three Hundred and Sixty-Three thousand naira (N2, 363, 000) only, for the Maintenance of Data Centre by his employer, Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation. He added that the contract was executed and his (Awudu’s) company was fully paid.
Oshinyemi said though Awudu resigned as a Director and shareholder of Geolev Nigeria Limited in May 2017 and his name was officially removed at the CAC, he insisted that what the defendant simply did was to replace himself with his close friend, Surveyor Zudonu Ovierai and another associate, Surveyor Ibrahim Yusuf Onsachi as directors, while his half-brother, Mr. Kurobimene Bietoru Awudu, remained a Director, having been a Director since the company was incorporated.
The witness further told the court that Awudu, while being the Surveyor-General of the Federation, on 16th November 2017 awarded a contract for Topographic Napping Still Sheets 199 Shaki & 201 Igbeti, covering Oyo and Kwara states at the sum of Two Hundred and Eleven Million, Six Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira (N211,640,000) only, to Geolev Nigeria Limited.
He listed other contracts awarded by Awudu to Geolev Nigeria Limited to include :
Rehabilitation of Existing CORS for One Hundred and Forty-Two Million naira (N142, 000,000) only on 6th January 2018
Rehabilitation of Civil Works of Existing CORS for One Hundred and Thirty-One Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N131, 500,000) only on 9th January 2018
Gravity Survey Observation Along Ifewara, Zunguru for Forty-Nine Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty-Two Thousand, Two Hundred Naira (N49, 952,200) on 9th January 2018
Rehabilitation of Existing CORS for N273,500,000 on 9th January 2018.
Oshinyemi put the total cost of the five contracts at Eight Hundred and Eight Million, Five Hundred Ninety-Two Thousand and Two Hundred Naira (N808,592,200) only.
The matter was further adjourned till 23rd and 26th October 2021 for the continuation of the trial.
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