Prof in EFCC net over N23m fraud

Prof in EFCC net over N23m fraud

                         
 The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, said yesterday, it had arrested the Director General of the National Biotechnology Development Agency, NABDA, Professor (Mrs) Lucy Jumeyi Ogbadu,  for her alleged involvement in criminal conspiracy and diversion of public funds to the tune of N23 million.
According to the commission, its operatives arrested Prof Ogbadu since Wednesday, June 28 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, following her alleged linkage with the Bayelsa State Director of Bioresources Development Centre, Mr. Josiah Habu who is being investigated by the agency in a case of fraudulent diversion of the sum of N75 million belonging to the body.
A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren and made available to Vanguard last night, said that Prof Ogbadu received the sum of N23 million through a bank account belonging to the wife of Habu, Esther, a development she allegedly admitted in a voluntary statement made to the EFCC.
The statement said, “Further investigations have also shown that, Mrs. Habu is one of the contractors with Bioresources Development Centre, Odi, Bayelsa State and a total sum of N603 million has been traced to her in different deals involving over 20 directors of Bioresources Development Centres across the country.
“Ogbadu’s linkage with all these scams is being investigated. She has been duly served with bail conditions while investigations continue.