Repeated requests by Mr Audu that the anti-graft agency issue a public statement clearing him and his companies of any wrongdoing have not been honoured, officials said.
On February 20, 2020, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission publicised a press statement announcing the arrest and planned prosecution of Mohammed Audu for allegedly diverting “several millions of U.S. Dollars and billions of Naira” donated to the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).
The EFCC further alleged that Mr Audu diverted the funds for his personal use through his companies, Mediterranean Hotels Limited and Mediterranean Sports.
However, fresh findings by PREMIUM TIMES showed that the anti-graft agency misled the public on the matter as the agency currently has no case against Mr Audu.
This newspaper found that after the statement was issued, the EFCC interrogated Mr Audu but established no wrongdoing against him and his businesses. The anti-graft agency did not issue an indictment and neither did it file charges against him.
Insiders at the agency said after he was quizzed by operatives and was cleared for having no case to answer, Mr Audu requested the EFCC to issue a public statement indicating that the publicised allegations against him were untrue. The businessman had argued that the initial statement about his arrest was hurting his reputation and business.
The anti-graft agency has, however, yet to issue any such statement.
Exploiting opportunity of NFF probe
At the time Mr Audu was maligned, the EFCC was investigating officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over allegations of misuse of sponsorship funds. The investigation was triggered by a petition operatives later determined lacked merit.
One of the sponsors, Aiteo, had hired Mr Audu’s company, Mediterranean Sports, as an agent through which sponsorship funds were routed through Bismark Rewane’s Financial Derivatives to the NFF.
It was based on his involvement with the sports agency company that he was invited by the EFCC and publicly shamed for alleged fraud. But neither he nor the company was ever indicted or charged.
PREMIUM TIMES understands that Mr Audu’s repeated pleas to the EFCC to issue another statement to clear his name have yet to be considered.
EFCC’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, did not answer repeated calls or reply to a text message requesting his comment for this report.
This medium also wrote the agency seeking an update on Mr Audu’s case. No response followed our letter despite repeated reminders.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja has since 2019 acquitted all NFF officials charged by the Federal Ministry of Justice over the sponsorship deals allegations.
The court based its verdict on the withdrawal of the charges by the prosecution after the April 2019 Special Presidential Investigation Panel report that cleared the NFF officials and their partners, including Mr Audu’s Mediterranean Sports.
The EFCC investigation of the NFF was based on the same issues of alleged sponsorship funds diversion the court tried. Following the court’s judgment, the EFCC closed its investigation.
However, the request by Mr Audu that the anti-graft agency issue a public statement clearing him and his companies of any wrongdoing has not been honoured, officials said.