N27bn Halliburton scam IBB, Abdulsalami, Diya, 77 others indicted

By Emeka Umejei Reporter, Lagos

EIGHTY PERSONS, foreigners and Nigerians, the living and the dead, among them four former Heads of State and two of their wives, as well as former Governors and Ministers – indeed the top echelons of the country’s political and military establishments, including technocrats – have been indicted by the United States law enforcement officials over the N27 billion Halliburton bribery scandal.

Among the foreigners are Jack Chagoury, Gilbert Chagoury, and T.W. Oerlemans, an Australian; but they are rather small fish compared with indicted former Nigerian Heads of State Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha, Ernest Shonekan, and Abdulsalami Abubakar.

Maryam, the late wife of Babangida; Mariam, the wife of the late Abacha, and his son, the late Ibrahim, are included; likewise Mike Akhigbe, the second in command in the Abdulsalami junta; former Abia State Governor, Orji Kalu; and former military Governors of Rivers State, Anthony Ukpo and Samuel Ewang.

Also among the dead are Abdulkadir Ahmed, former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor; and renowned economist, Pius Okigbo, who headed the probe panel on the Gulf Crude Oil Excess sales set up by the CBN in 1994.

But among those alive are former Petroleum Minister, Rilwanu Lukman, and newly re-appointed National Security Adviser, Aliyu Gusau. (See full list).

According to the report of the investigators, the 80 persons received part of the N27 billion bribe facilitated by foreign contractors for Halliburton to get the contract to build the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) plant, Africa’s first, in Bonny, Rivers State.

The scandal dates back to 1994 when some foreign companies put up bids for the construction of the plant that was to cost $6 billion.

To win the contract, a joint venture company, named TSKJ, was set up – comprising equal holdings between some companies, Technip (French), Sanmprogetti (Italian), KBR (U.S.), and part of the Halliburton group and Japanese engineering and construction company, JGC.

The investigators said the consortium bribed political leaders and top government functionaries through Tri-Star Investment Limited and Marubeni Inc.

They also recruited British lawyer, Jeffery Tesler, to co-ordinate the affairs of Tri-Star, as well as Wojciech Chodan, an American, to co-ordinate the affairs of Marubeni.

TSKJ mandated Tri-Star to solely take charge of bribing Nigerian officials at senior level, Marubeni was restricted to bribing junior level officials.

Tesler disclosed in a court deposition that TSKJ mandated both companies to bribe the officials.

As part of the investigation, the Swiss Justice Department followed the steps of the Police Judiciare of France, which in 2003, started an investigation that revealed fraudulent Halliburton payments to Tesler.

In the U.S., KBR and Halliburton have admitted to violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) by engaging in a decade-long bribing scheme to secure contracts in Nigeria.

Both agreed to pay a combined fine of $579 million to settle criminal and civil charges brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Department of Justice.

Those Indicted

1. Ibrahim Babangida
   
2. Maryam Babangida
   
3. Ernest Shonekan
   
4. Abubakar Abdulsalami
   
5. M. D. Yusufu
   
6. T.W. Oerlemans
   
7. Pius Okigbo
   
8. Aminu Saleh
   
9. Don Etiebet
   
10. Aliyu Mohammed Gusau
    
11. Edmund Daukoru
    
12. Victoria Ihonde
    
13. Toyin Olakunrin
    
14. Gilbert Temisan Grant
    
15. Gabriel Abolade Soyoye
    
16. Patrick Dele-Cole
    
17. E. Ihetu
    
18. Onya (NNPC personnel)
    
19. Sani Abacha
    
20. Joshua Dogonyaro
    
21. John Shagaya
    
22. U. J. Itsueli
    
23. Ombu Isokariari
    
24. G.O. Ejiga
    
25. Babagana Kingibe
    
26. Hakeem Bello-Osagie
    
27. J.O. Maduka
    
28. Sena Anthony
    
29. Dalhatu A. Bayero
    
30. Ogenyi (NNPC official)
    
31. I. Dapchi
    
32. M.A. Olorunfemi
    
33. Wilfred C. Eze
    
34. Umar Baba
    
35. Orji Kalu
    
36. Jeremiah Useni
    
37. Abba Gana
    
38. Ibrahim Abacha
    
39. Oladipo Diya
    
40. Chamberlain O. Oyibo
    
41. Judith Attah
    
42. Abdulkadir Ahmed
    
43. Anthony Ani
    
44. O.O. Okwara
    
45. Philip Asiodu
    
46. Endo (Marubeni Nigeria)
    
47. Hamman Tukur
    
48. S.J. Ollerearnshaw
    
49. Dan Etete
    
50. B. Soyode
    
51. Akin Ogunleye
    
52. Tom Ikimi
    
53. Gidado Idris
    
54. Sola Alabi
    
55. Ismaila Gwarzo
    
56. Mariam Abacha
    
57. Halilu Akilu
    
58. Abdullahi Mohammed
    
59. Hamza El-Mustapha
    
60. Ibrahim Aliyu
    
61. Edmund Ayoola
    
62. Anthony Ukpo
    
63. Samuel Ewang
    
64. Ismaila Usman
    
65. Tunde Soleye
    
66. Christ Akerele
    
67. Umaru Shinkafi
    
68. Philip Chukwu
    
69. Bunu Sherrif Musa
    
70. Rilwan Lukman
    
71. Aret Adams
    
72. Mike Akhigbe
    
73. Faruk Iya
    
74. Hassan Adamu
    
75. Prince Nzekwe
    
76. Gen. Adeyosun
    
77. Jasper Jumbo
    
78. Jack Chagoury
79. Gilbert Chagoury
80. Mohammed Atiku