Arrest of Boroh, Ex-Amnesty Boss: No $9million was Recovered by EFCC, ONSA Operatives-Mrs Boroh.

Former Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of Amnesty Programme, Brig. Gen. Paul Boroh has denied reports claiming that the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) discovered $9 million cash at his residence.

Speaking through his wife, Mrs. Ibinye Boroh, he said that no cash was found in their house and described the allegation as fabrication of lies, false, malicious and calculated attempt to mislead the public.

‘‘My attention has been drawn to the publication in some of the Nigerian media particularly the front page of a national daily to the effect that $9million was recovered by the operatives of the EFCC from our house and premises in the course of their search.

‘‘This is to inform the general public that no cash was discovered and could not have been discovered by government operatives during their search in our house last Monday.

“The publication by a section of the press stating the contrary is fabricated, false in its entirety, malicious and calculated to mislead the public.

Recall that detectives some media reported that both the EFCC and NSA operatives recovered $9 million cash at the residence of the sacked Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, retired Brig.-Gen. Paul Tarelah Boroh.

Boroh, who was Special Adviser on Niger Delta to President Muhammadu Buhari has also been arrested.

The discovery of the cash was said to have been made a few hours after his arrest by a combined team of EFCC detectives and operatives of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

 The Head, Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujiaren was said to have confirmed the arrest and cash recovery to newsmen in Abuja.

The recovered cash is said to have been been deposited at the Office of the NSA.”

 Buhari sacked Boroh last week and announced Prof. Charles Dokubo as his replacement.

 Thee statement announcing Boroh’s dismissal, said the NSA, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd), had been directed to probe the activities of the Amnesty Office from 2015, when Boroh was appointed, especially allegations of financial impropriety and other acts that were allegedly detrimental to the objectives of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

Boroh’s sack, investigation and arrest by the EFCC is not unconnected to a petition sent to the president last August. dated August 21, 2017 and signed by one Timi Angalabiri, on behalf of the Niger Deltans for Accountability and Good Governance (NDAGG).  

The group requested President Buhari to suspend the ex-Amnesty Programme boss “for a credible investigative inquiry to commence into the non-payment of tuition fees and living expenses of recently graduated Niger Delta students in universities across the United States, the United Kingdom and Nigeria.  

The petitioner further pleaded with Buhari to use his good office to prosecute Boroh and others for allegedly diverting the sum of N70 billion. Shortly after the petition was written, rumours made the rounds about Boroh’s sack by the president, but they were dismissed by the former Amnesty Programme boss.

 “This story about my suspension and even sack has been off and on in the media, but the truth is that I have not been sacked and no one should disrupt the relative prevailing peace in the Niger Delta region with such fake news,” he had said. 

 “What is happening is the handiwork of political enemies and those who do not want the region to be peaceful. The rumours they are peddling are just rubbish and unfounded. Under my watch, the programme, candidly speaking, has helped greatly to stabilise the region.”  

The Reformed Niger Delta Avengers and 10 other militant groups Tuesday threatened to attack oil installations in the Niger Delta if the sacked coordinator of the Amnesty Programme was not reinstated in four weeks. 

 According to Johnmark Ezonbi, leader of the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, the federal government would “hear from them” if Boroh was not reinstated.  

He said the sacked coordinator of the Amnesty Programme played a significant role in prevailing on the militants to end the attacks on oil installations, warning that it was obvious that the government was toying with the destiny of the Niger Delta.  

Ezonbi’s statement said, “The federal government will hear from us at the expiration of the four weeks ultimatum as no single stone will be left unturned as the administration prefers to go back to the recession period when Boroh played a major role by visiting the creeks with other stakeholders to prevail on the boys to drop their arms and embrace peace.  

“We will embark on a well coordinated destruction of all major delivery oil pipelines after the expiration of the four weeks ultimatum without looking back. 

“I want to warn that any intruder into our planned action in four weeks time, if the federal government fails to reinstate General Paul Boroh, will be severely dealt with without mercy because our attacks will make the security agencies in the creeks very small. 

“We are fully ready to take on anybody as we have the instruments of warfare that will make the biggest military might marvel at our coordinated attacks. “We are ready to dirty our rivers and creeks with our oil, it is better we spill it than allow government use it to develop other parts of the country.”

Agency Reports.