EFCC Mounts Search For Former AGIS Boss, Jamila Tangaza Over N800m Fraud

The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu yesterday said the anti-graft agency was  searching for Jamila Tangaza, a former head of Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS).

He said the commission is on the lookout for Tangaza, who was being investigated over allegations of financial crimes following reports that she attempted to jump bail and escape the country.

She is being investigated over alleged financial malfeasance to the tune of about N800 million when she served as the director of Abuja AGIS and Senior Special Assistant to the former Federal Capital Territory Minister (FCT), Bala Mohammed. 

In an interview in Abuja yesterday, Magu said he could not confirm she was caught trying to leave the country, because the EFCC had not received formal notification from the Nigeria Immigration Service.

He however said attempts to reach her mobile phone numbers had been unsuccessful.

He also said Tangaza was on administrative bail noting that her surety who stood for her bail has been summoned by the EFCC.

He also said the EFCC had furnished the Customs, Immigration Service, DSS and other International policing organizations like Interpol and FBI a list of people being investigated and prosecuted by the agency. He added that no matter where such persons run to they would still be within the grasp of the anti-graft agency.

Magu also said former FCT minister, Bala Mohammed is still in custody, while a former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, is in good health, contrary to some media reports. Fa Fani-Kayode is to be arraigned on new fraud charges on Nov. 10, EFCC’s spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said the EFCC investigators were still questioning Bala Mohammed to explain several allegations of corruption levelled against him, noting that the interrogators are not done with him.

It was also gathered that Abati is still in detention and has been unable to explain how he distributed funds received from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

It was learnt that Abati admitted receiving N50 million from the ONSA under Sambo Dasuki and also said the money was distributed as Christmas and Sallah gifts to journalists while he was spokesman of former President Goodluck Jonathan.