The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested two Chinese nationals for allegedly offering N50m bribe to its Zonal Head in Sokoto, Mr. Abdullahi Lawal.
WuzupNigeria reports that Messrs Meng Wei Kun and Xu Koi were arrested on Monday, 11 May 2020 in Sokoto.
The antigraft agency, in a statement on Tuesday by its Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, alleged the bribe was offered in a desperate bid to compromise ongoing investigations of a construction company, China Zhonghao Nig. Ltd.
China Zhonghao Nig. Ltd is handling N50bn contracts awarded by the Zamfara State Government between 2012 to 2019.
Oyewale further disclosed that the EFCC is investigating the construction company in connection with the execution of contracts for the construction of township roads in Gummi, Bukkuyun, Anka and Nassarawa towns of Zamfara State.
The firm is also under investigation over the construction of 168 solar-powered boreholes in the 14 local government areas of the state.
“Alarmed by the consistency and professionalism of investigation being conducted, the company reached out to Lawal with an offer of N100million ( One Hundred Million Naira) as bribe to “bury” the matter,” the statement said.
“In a grand design to trap the corrupt officials, Lawal played along, and on Monday, two representatives of the company Meng Wei Kun and Xu Kuoi offered him cash totalling N50million (Fifty Million Naira) in their office along Airport Road, Sokoto. The cash was offered as a first instalment.
“The suspects were promptly arrested with the cash as evidence.
“Investigation of the construction company was informed by an intelligence on alleged conspiracy; misappropriation of public funds; embezzlement; official corruption; abuse of office, stealing and money laundering obtained against the Zamfara State government through inflated and uncompleted contracts awarded to the company”
“Investigations have so far revealed that China Zounghao Ltd has received payments of over N41billion (Forty One Billion Naira) from the Zamfara State government, out of which about N16, 000, 000, 000. 00 (Sixteen Billion Naira) equivalent of over $US53,000,000.00 (Fifty Three Million US Dollars) was allegedly diverted and traced to some bureau de change operators.”
