Main Source Of James Ibori Loots And Wealth Revealed
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| James Ibori can Nigerians ever forgive this man? |
The below account is just one example of how Delta state ex Governor amassed such money.
Hear Strive Masiyiwa the Executive Chairman & Founder of the Econet Group, as he revealed the shocking truth of what happened in Nigeria.
I had the privilege of making Nigeria’s first GSM phone call
back in 2001 when I called the regulator to say, “We’re live!”
back in 2001 when I called the regulator to say, “We’re live!”
Who would’ve believed then that Nigeria today would have more than 167 million mobile phones?!
It all started out as a very exciting new chapter for enterprise in Africa. Shortly after President Obasanjo was elected, the new government announced an incredibly
transparent international auction process for three national
mobile phone licenses.
transparent international auction process for three national
mobile phone licenses.
To participate in the bid, you not only had to raise money, but there had to be a member of the bidding consortium who was an experienced GSM operator.
Econet Wireless met the requirements because of its experience in Zimbabwe and Botswana.
Our Nigerian partners, which included state governments, local banks and high net worth
individuals, were financial investors. The largest shareholder had only 10%. That was the written agreement.
individuals, were financial investors. The largest shareholder had only 10%. That was the written agreement.
I managed to assemble a consortium of 22 investors to put
up the money needed to bid. Our shareholders were all Nigerian, mostly institutional investors including leading banks and two state governments, Lagos State and Delta State.
up the money needed to bid. Our shareholders were all Nigerian, mostly institutional investors including leading banks and two state governments, Lagos State and Delta State.
The license cost us $285m and was the most expensive license ever issued in Africa at the time. This
was 2001.
was 2001.
We considered the investment not only about putting together a network, but also about building a nation. We knew it had the potential to transform Nigeria’s entire
business and social architecture.
business and social architecture.
Most of our investors had between 1-10% shareholding.
Econet Wireless Nigeria had only 5% of the shares, but that was fine because it was 5% ownership of a very big pie.
As the “technical partner and operator,” Econet was the
company with the expertise to build and operate such a business. Our financial investors recognized this, and also allowed us to receive 3% of the turnover as our fees. This
was standard practice in the industry.
company with the expertise to build and operate such a business. Our financial investors recognized this, and also allowed us to receive 3% of the turnover as our fees. This
was standard practice in the industry.
We were one of the winning bidders and they gave us just six months to set up business and get our network
operating. We were under a lot of pressure but our network
was live two days before the others! Customers were pouring in. We were number one in the market with an
estimated 57% market share.
operating. We were under a lot of pressure but our network
was live two days before the others! Customers were pouring in. We were number one in the market with an
estimated 57% market share.
___Then came the fateful day when I was told that our company must pay a total of $9m in bribes to senior
politicians (in state government) who had facilitated the raising of the money to pay for the license.
politicians (in state government) who had facilitated the raising of the money to pay for the license.
I refused to authorize the illegal payments. Meeting after
meeting was held to try to get me to agree, but I would not. The money would not be paid as long as Econet was the operator and I had signing authority.
meeting was held to try to get me to agree, but I would not. The money would not be paid as long as Econet was the operator and I had signing authority.
James Ibori, the Governor of Delta State, was demanding
$4,5m be paid to him in his personal capacity. He was one
of the most powerful men in the country and had a reputation for violence. When he heard that I was refusing to approve payment he issued an ultimatum:
$4,5m be paid to him in his personal capacity. He was one
of the most powerful men in the country and had a reputation for violence. When he heard that I was refusing to approve payment he issued an ultimatum:
___”Pay or I will chase you and your people out of the
country.” I refused.
country.” I refused.
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| money were parked in houses of top politicians |
The shareholders met and voted Econet Wireless Nigeria
out of management. They cancelled our management contract. James Ibori and his colleagues personally
attended the meeting to remove us. After the meeting one of them (a prominent local businessman even today) came up to me and said:
out of management. They cancelled our management contract. James Ibori and his colleagues personally
attended the meeting to remove us. After the meeting one of them (a prominent local businessman even today) came up to me and said:
“Unfortunately for you, God does not
have a vote.” I had to withdraw all my staff and their families: 200people in all. We left Nigeria.
have a vote.” I had to withdraw all my staff and their families: 200people in all. We left Nigeria.
Most of our people had to be retrenched. The loss of the
contract almost drove us to bankruptcy as a group. They invited a big international operator to replace us as technical partner and operator. They changed the name of the company from Econet to V-Mobile.
contract almost drove us to bankruptcy as a group. They invited a big international operator to replace us as technical partner and operator. They changed the name of the company from Econet to V-Mobile.
Within days of their arrival, the managers of the new operator signed off the payments demanded as bribes. Then what happened?
A few noble Nigerians had both the integrity and courage to carefully collect all the documentation on the movement of the money, and pass it all on to me. There’s a saying worth remembering in uncovering the
trail of destruction that is corruption:
trail of destruction that is corruption:
“Follow the money”…
I bided my time… then I wrote a letter to the United States Department of Justice!
It was 2003.
Nigeria has an agency known as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). After we had to leave the country, a few noble people at the company tipped off not only me but the EFCC about the payment of the bribes, which had by this time risen from $9m to $13,5m.
I had never actually heard about this agency myself until I got a call from the Nigerian Embassy in South Africa to say they wanted to come and see me to interview me as a witness.
A team of very senior EFCC officers came to see us in South Africa. They were solid and professional in their enquiry. It was clear they wanted to do something about it.
However, when these officers returned home to Nigeria, they got into very serious trouble. Their investigations into the irregular payments had been brought to the attention of James Ibori (Governor of Delta State)…
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| If the rooms became full the cupboards are there |
Soon thereafter, the most senior officer leading the investigation was demoted and sent to a remote part of the country as an ordinary policeman!
Agencies like EFCC in Nigeria sometimes have brave and gallant law enforcement officers. Unfortunately, as I observed, they’re often let down by their political bosses, and sometimes even by the courts. This can change if activism from the citizenry emerges to support their work.
___We should not only support official efforts to stop corruption but also help these agencies and organisations in their investigations. If you have relevant information about illegal activities, passing it on could make all the difference between impunity and imprisonment.
In my letter to the US Justice Department, I detailed the full history of the demands for a bribe. I had dates, times, records. I then reminded them that since the big international operator had a listing on the New York Stock Exchange, they were duty-bound to launch an enquiry. Why did I go to them?
The United States government has a law called the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The United Kingdom has a similar one called the British Anti-Bribery Act. Whatever you do, make sure you never fall foul of those laws because, if they ever use them to come after you, you’re a “gonner” my friends.
A few weeks later, US officials wrote back advising me that an enquiry had been launched. They contacted the big international company seeking answers to my allegations. My contacts at the company called to tell me, “All hell has broken loose at the company.”
The parent company of the South African-based multinational sent external auditors and lawyers from London to Nigeria. They immediately dismissed all the senior executives sent to Nigeria to run the company, and they left in a hurry!
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| Some spending money |
Although they fled the scene of the crime and returned to their country — after admitting even to both the US Justice Department and the EFCC that the money had been paid out – the stolen funds were never returned to the Nigerian people, even to this day.
Meanwhile, the departure of the other mobile operator did not mean we could return to Nigeria. The shareholders found another operator, this time from the Middle East.
They sold this new operator the control of the company even though Econet Wireless Nigeria had the “right of first refusal” over any sale. They simply ignored that provision in our agreement. This was illegal, both according to our shareholders agreement and Nigerian Company Law. It was left for us to take up the fight in another forum, the Nigerian courts.
To be concluded