The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, said it is investigating an official of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Captain Warredi Enisuoh.

The EFCC’s Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement, however said the case is unrelated to oil pipeline security or his role as Head of Operations in Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo’s Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited.

“Enisuoh is under investigation in an alleged case of Money Laundering involving the criminal dissipation of funds in an account held by him but which is the subject of longstanding investigation by the EFCC.

“As an official of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Enisuoh is being prosecuted alongside former Director General of the Agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi for fraudulent conversion of various sums of money belonging to the Agency.

“In the course of that investigation, over $420,000, suspected proceeds of illicit activities, was traced to an account held by him,” he said.

The Commission added that though it had obtained a court order to freeze the account and preserve the funds, Enisuoh in 2018 secured an order of the Court of Appeal to lift the freeze order.

However, the Court of Appeal did not find in favour of Captain Warredi Enisouh that the funds in issue were not proceeds of unlawful activities, Uwujaren said.

See the full statement below:

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, can confirm that one Captain Warredi Enisuoh, is currently under investigation but the case is unrelated to oil pipeline security or his role as Head of Operations in Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo’s Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited.

Enisuoh is under investigation in an alleged case of Money Laundering involving the criminal dissipation of funds in an account held by him but which is the subject of longstanding investigation by the EFCC.

As an official of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Enisuoh is being prosecuted alongside former Director General of the Agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi for fraudulent conversion of various sums of money belonging to the Agency.

In the course of that investigation, over $420,000, suspected proceeds of illicit activities, was traced to an account held by him. The Commission had obtained a Court Order to freeze the account and preserve the funds, but Enisuoh in 2018 secured an Order of the Court of Appeal to lift the freeze Order. However, the Court of Appeal did not find in favour of Captain Warredi Enisouh that the funds in issue were not proceeds of unlawful activities.

The Commission received intelligence that Enisuoh dissipated the funds reasonably suspected to be the proceeds of his unlawful activities within three days in May, 2018. He was on the Commission’s watch-list until January 19, 2023, when he was taken into custody. A remand notice was duly filed to keep him, pending the conclusion of the investigation.

He is cooperating with the investigation, and has already returned $100,000 to the account.

The Commission is a critical stakeholder in the fight against oil theft and has demonstrated this by successfully prosecuting perpetrators of such heinous crime. It will therefore not take any step to frustrate the determination of the government to fight oil theft and sundry offences.

Wilson Uwujaren

Head, Media & Publicity (Channels TV)

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