The House of Representatives on Thursday revealed that it has discovered ₦21 billion and $104.46 million undeclared revenue in two separate accounts outside the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
The chairman of the House Ad-hoc Committee investigating the management, implementation and level of compliance with the Treasury Single Account (TSA), Abubakar Danburam stated this in Abuja while briefing newsmen.
Danburam said the Managing Director of Heritage Bank, Ifie Sekibo and his counterpart in Aso Savings, Hassan Usman, have been summoned to appear before the committee over the shocking discovery.
He added that the secretariat of the committee has been directed to write the affected bank chiefs to appear on a date to be announced later, failure of which arrest warrant will be issued against them.
Danburam said: “Today, we are supposed to meet with Heritage Bank and Aso Savings with regard to the Treasury Single Account (TSA). As you can see, none of their management or staff is here.
“Our independent investigations have revealed that contrary to what Heritage Bank submitted to us, they also have two undisclosed accounts in the TSA.
“The one with Nigerian Export and Import (NEXIM) Bank has $104 million while a second one with Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has $46,000.
“Yet, there is another ₦21 billion, which also forms part of our enquiry. We want to know why they did not reveal those accounts to this Committee.
“We hereby give the Managing Directors of Heritage Bank and Aso Savings the opportunity to appear before this committee at a date to be announced later. If they fail, we will then issue a warrant of arrest against them.”
In a related development, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has also discovered the sum of ₦9.8 billion secretly kept in Aso Savings.
Investigations by the commission revealed that the amount was the proceed from the sale of Federal Government properties in the Federal Capital Territory between 2010 and 2014.
Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, the spokesperson for the ICPC said the discovery was made while the Commission was investigating allegations contained in a petition against the activities of the Ad-hoc Committee set up in 2005 on the sales.
According to Okoduwa, investigators unearthed the money which was deposited in Aso Savings and Loans Plc instead of being remitted to the federal treasury by the financial institution.
She further explained that management of the bank confirmed receipt of the money, adding that since the bank is currently experiencing paucity of funds, it was willing to swap some of its property and assets located in Abuja and Lagos in exchange for the unremitted funds.
“But the Commission is committed to the recovery of the full value of the unremitted ₦9.8 Billion by taking the properties offered in lieu for government, subject to satisfactory valuation by the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.
“Upon conclusion of investigation, anyone found in breach of the law will be brought to book accordingly,” OKoduwa added.
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