A business mogul and Managing Director of AITEO Group, Mr. Benedict Peters has been declared wanted by Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
Information reaching us said that Mr. Benedict Peters was wanted for the alleged role he played in the bribery allegation involving the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The bribery was perpetrated by a former minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Deziani Allison Madueke, before the 2015 general election.
In an official gazette from EFCC signed by its spokesperson, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren said:
“Dark complexioned Peters is wanted in connection with a case of criminal conspiracy, diversion of funds and money laundering.
“He hails from Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
“His last known address is 8B Agodogba Avenue, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos.”
Peters is believed to have given the former minister about $60m towards the 2015 presidential election.
According to EFCC, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Plc, assisted Deziani in converting $115m to N23bn, which was given to INEC officials.
It is believed that some oil companies contributed the money, among which is Northern Belt Gas Company that gave $60m.
A reliable source from EFCC said that Peters gave the money on behalf of Northern Belt Gas Company Ltd. in form of kickbacks.
The directors of the company have not been ascertained.
“All attempts to get him have proved abortive, we currently do not know where he is and he is hardly in one place because he has a private jet,” EFCC said.
Mr. Peters, the oil mogul own oil facilities in several countries, include oil farm tanks in Lagos and Port Harcourt.
He acquired an 85 percent station stake in block OML 29 from Shell Gas Company for $25bn during the regime of Goodluck Jonathan.
OML 29 has up to 22 billion barrels of oil and about 300million standard cubic feet of gas among others.
He is believed to have engaged in controversial crude oil swap deal which Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) gave out 445,000 barrels of crude per day to nine companies through the Pipeline Product Marketing Company (PPMC).
He has however denied any wrong, in an advertorial place in one of the dailies as follows:
“In order to put the facts clearly and correctly in the public domain, both AIETO Group and Mr. Peters would like to state categorically that Mr. Peters has not been officially invited by EFCC on this matter.
“As a law abiding citizen and a significant participant in Nigeria’s key oil and gas sector and an accomplished global businessman with significant interest in different parts of the world, Mr. Benedict Peters will upon receipt of an official invitation from EFCC, cooperate with such relevant authorities.”
“Mr. Peters who is currently out of the country will certainly attend to an invitation from the EFCC upon return to Nigeria.”
Having declared Mr. Peters wanted, the EFCC also declared Johnson Salako wanted for defrauding, the bank of industry to the tune of N1.424bn.
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