Arms Deal Scandal: ThisDay Publisher, Obaigbena, Returns N350m

There were indications that the Publisher of ThisDay Newspaper, Nduka Obaigbena, has returned the sum of N350m to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, from the about N600m he collected.

A top operative of the commission said Obaigbena returned the money to the commission on Tuesday.

“The Publisher of ThisDay Newspaper, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, has returned N350m out of the N670m he received from the ONSA. 

“The Publisher is expected to return the rest N200m next week. You know that he signed an undertaking to return the money before they released him. That undertaking expires on Tuesday next week."

The Special Task Force of the EFCC, investigating arms procurement under the Goodluck Jonathan had last week quizzed Obaigbena for allegedly receiving N670m from Sambo Dasuki.

The commission released him after 24 hours after he had agreed to sign an undertaking to make a refund of the money in two weeks.

The 14-day period of grace, given to the ThisDay Publisher to repay the money he collected from Dasuki’s office expires on Tuesday next week.

Obaigbena had confessed that he received N670m from Dasuki during interrogation by EFCC.

The operative said Obaigbena was expected to pay the balance of N200m next week or be arrested again.