N22bn siphoned through my accounts

N22bn Scandal: How Ministry of power funds were siphoned through my accounts - BDC operator

A bureau de change operator, Abdullahi Suleman, testified in the trial of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, detailing how over ₦22 billion was allegedly diverted from the Federal Ministry of Power.

According to reports, Mamman is facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 12-count charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering amounting to ₦33,804,830,503.73 (Thirty-three Billion, Eight Hundred and Four Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred and Three Naira, Seventy-three Kobo).

The trial resumed on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice James Omotosho. During the proceedings, the EFCC presented its 8th witness (PW8), Abdullahi Suleman.

The companies used for the transactions included Prymint Investment Limited, Strong Field International Projects Limited, Mintedge Nigeria Limited, First Class Construction and Project, Silverline Ocean Ventures, Golden Bond Nigeria Limited, Sipikin Global Enterprise, Spinhiills Biz International Limited, Fullest Utility Concepts Limited, Platinum Touch Enterprises, Breathable Investment Limited, and a firm owned by his brother, Gurupche Business Enterprises.

Suleman’s testimony is part of the ongoing efforts by the EFCC to establish its case against the former minister.

He said, “I know Alhaji Maina Goje, we are in the same business, sometimes in 2019, Maina Goje met me that he has transaction that I should give him some of my account numbers, the first account I gave him was Fullest, he will send money and I will give him dollars, he started asking for more accounts, he will tell me what to do with the transactions, I will get the dollar and give him and sometimes I will do a transfer to other accounts. We have been working together since then till 2024. From my rough calculations, the amount I have received through the transactions will be more than 22 billion naira. Also Maina used to send someone called Musbhu anytime he was not available, he would send him and give me instructions on what to do with him, we do call him Yaro Minister because he is from Saleh Mamman.”

Continuing, “ I also know Mr Mustapha Muhammed, Goje told me that he is his oga, I didn’t know him before until Maina Goje introduced him to me, then I learnt he works with Federal Ministry of Housing and instructed that anytime they can’t reach him, I should give him the amount of dollars he requested”

When presented with the Exhibit X series, which included bank statements from his companies—Strong Field International Projects Limited, Mintedge Nigeria Limited, and Prymint Investment Limited—showing evidence of funds deposited into their accounts, the witness confirmed that these accounts were given to Maina Goje.

Among the significant transactions highlighted in the accounts were: