The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) on Wednesday denied involvement of its officials in a bribery scandal over the Gbaran Ubie Gas Project in Bayelsa State.

The EFCC statement, signed by Wilson Uwujaren, the Commission’s Head of media and publicity was issued in response to widely syndicated report in the newspapers and online media last Monday.

EFCC Operatives

The report was purportedly based on a petition to the House of Representatives by a certain Chidi David Adebanya. But EFCC said the allegation ought to be ignored as the motive is essentially to befuddle the case pending against the petitioner at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

“The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) has been drawn to a report which was widely syndicated in the newspapers and online media on Monday, October 6, 2014, alleging the involvement of officials of the Commission in a bribery scandal over the Gbaran Ubie Gas Project in Bayelsa State.

“However, the Commission is constrained to respond in the interest of readers who might have been misled by the sponsored story.

“For the avoidance of doubt, there is no truth in the claim by Adebanya that officials of the Commission demanded gratification from him to throw the case. It is inconceivable that any official of the Commission will ask for a bribe let alone promising to make returns to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke.

“This is preposterous! According to Adebanya, the bribes were demanded in 2011. The important question is why has it taken him three solid years to go public with the allegation?”

Uwujaren stated that the allegation was a ploy to discredit the case of obtaining money under false pretences instituted by the EFCC against Adebanya currently going on at Federal High Court, Abuja.

EFCC had alleged that Adebanya used his position as Interface Manger for Shell to extort his employer through a phony consultancy in connivance with officials of the Bayelsa State Ministry of Urban Development.

He allegedly awarded himself a consultancy contract using his company “Forstech” being run by his girlfriend, Uzoma Ibe, an accomplice.

The “team” milked Shell of N1.9billion in consultancy charges for the Gbaran Ubie gas project.

“The phony deal later cost him his job. The matter which was before Justice Gladys Olotu was later reassigned to Justice Adeniyi Ademola after the former left the bench.

“Rather than prove his innocence in court, Adebanya resorted to self help by petitioning the House of Representatives and seeking to scandalize the Commission through spurious allegations.

“It is regrettable that a section of the media bought this gambit by rushing to publish without any attempt at verifying the claim or seeking the views of the Commission on the purported allegation.

“If this omission is part of an agenda to embarrass and distract the EFCC from pursuing the case against Adebanya, it has failed. No amount of sponsored publications on unfounded allegations will stop the Commission from diligently prosecuting the case against Adebanya.

“If the petitioner believes he has any case against the Commission, he is free to seek redress in court,” Uwujaren concluded.