EFCC Found N603 Million With Civil Servant Wife

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, said it has traced N603m to Mrs. Esther Habu, wife of the Director of Bioresources Development Center in Bayelsa State, Josiah Habu.

The National Biotechnology Development Agency under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, BIODEC is an intervention programme of the Federal Government aimed at developing the natural resources of Nigeria for use in agriculture, health, environment and industry.

The anti-crime agency said that investigations showed that a total sum of N603, 000,000 was traced to Esther in different deals, involving over 20 directors of BIODEC across the country.

The EFCC said in a statement by its spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, that about N70m was traced to her husband.

The EFCC also arrested the Director – General of NABDA, Prof Lucy Ogbadu, who oversees all BIODEC branches across the country.

The statement read in part, “Operatives of the EFCC have arrested the serving Director -General of NABDA, Prof Lucy Ogbadu, for her alleged involvement in criminal conspiracy and diversion of public funds to the tune of N 23m.

“Ogbadu was arrested on Wednesday June 28 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, following her alleged link with the Bayelsa State Director of BIODEC, Mr Josiah Habu, who is being investigated by the EFCC in a case of fraudulent diversion of the sum of N75m .

“Investigations by the EFCC showed that Ogbadu allegedly received the sum of N 23m through a bank account belonging to the wife of Habu, Mrs Esther Habu, and admitted same in a voluntary statement made to the EFCC.

“Further investigations have also shown that Mrs Habu is one of the contractors with BIODEC, Odi, Bayelsa State, and a total sum of N603m has been traced to her in different deals involving over 20 directors of BIODEC across the country.”