Highly vocal and critical of President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Fayose has recently been indicted over his role in the last gubernatorial election in the state. Senator Obanikoro too has been under investigation for his role in the $2.1bn Dasukigate scandal in which money meant to purchase arms for the military was diverted into private pockets.
According to recent revelations, Senator Obanikoro allegedly loaded a chartered aircraft with N1.2bn for transfer to Governor Fayose through an associate, Abiodun Agbele. The cash was transferred through the planer with registration number HS125-800 5N-BMT belonging to Gyro Air.
According to the EFCC, the first flight was filled with N724.5m, packing the plane so much that there was no seat for any crew member or the ex-minister to sit on the flight. Apparently, it was during the second flight that transported N494.9m that Senator Obanikoro, his aide-de-camp, Lt Col AO Adewale and crew members joined the trip to Akure airport.
Records indicated yesterday that for each of the trip, Senator Obanikoro paid $12,500 making a total of $25,000. The EFCC has retrieved the footage details of Obanikoro’s movement at the airport and the flight schedule of the aircraft.
According to fresh evidence obtained by the EFCC, the ex-minister had defied security at the airport in Lagos to move a bullion van to the apron of the chartered wing to off-load the cash. Although the security men at the airport resisted the use of the security gate, the ex-minister ordered soldiers to break all barriers for the bullion van to get to the apron.
One EFCC source, said: “Contrary to his attacks on the EFCC, we have retrieved the footage and details of how he ordered soldiers to break the barriers at the reserved security gate at Lagos airport for a bullion van to go to the apron of the chartered service wing. He defied security men at the airport and refused to subject the bullion van to any screening contrary to aviation rules.
"In fact, apart from financial crimes, the ex-minister and his accomplices have outstanding allegations against them for violating aviation safety rules or regulations. The aircraft made two shuttles to Akure Airport on June 17, 2014 and our investigation revealed that during the first flight, about N724.5m was offloaded from the bullion into the aircraft and when the balance of N494.990m was loaded into the aircraft for the second trip, Obanikoro, his ADC, one highly-placed person from the southwest and the crew were able to make the trip."
Another source confirmed that the aircraft belonged a member of the sacked management of Skye Bank. Zenith Bank confirmed how Governor Fayose’s associate, Mr Agbele, brought the cash into its branch in Akure to keep as sundry funds.
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