The house the money was recovered from in Kaduna

Nigeria’s anti graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has explained how a raid by its operatives on a a building belonging to a former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Andrew Yakubu in Kaduna on 3 February yielded the recovery of a staggering sum of $9,772,800 and another sum of £74,000.

The Commission said the huge cash was hidden in a fire proof safe.

EFCC said the surprise raid of its operatives on the facility was sequel to an intelligence  about suspected proceeds of crime believed to be hidden in the slums of Sabon Tasha area of Kaduna.

“On arrival at the facility, the caretaker of the house, one Bitrus Yakubu, a younger brother to Andrew Yakubu, disclosed that both the house and the safe where the money was found belong to his brother, Andrew Yakubu.

The safes where the cash was kept

“When the safe was opened it was discovered that it contained the sum of $9,772,800 (Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Seventy Two Thousand, Eight Hundred United States Dollars) and another sum of £74,000,” the Commission said in a statement signed by Wilson Uwujaren, its spokesperson.

The seized dollars

The anti graft agency said when Yakubu reported at its Zonal office in Kano after the raid, he admitted ownership of the recovered money, but claimed it was gift from unnamed persons.

Yakubu, EFCC, is currently assisting the investigation.