The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has quoted a former Group Managing Director, GMD, of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Andrew Yakubu, as saying the $9.8m and £74, 000 found in his house were gifts.

Recall that operatives of the EFCC, had on Thursday raided the home of Yakubu in Kaduna city where it discovered the huge sum.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, the anti-graft agency disclosed that the money was found in a hidden fire-proof safe.

The spokesman noted that the raid of Yakubu’s house was sequel to an intelligence which the commission received, “about suspected proceeds of crime believed to be hidden in the slums of Sabon Tasha area of Kaduna”.

Uwajaren said,“A special operation conducted by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on 3rd February, 2017 on a building belonging to a former group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Andrew Yakubu in Kaduna yielded the recovery of a staggering sum of $9,772,800 and another sum of £74,000 cash.

“The huge cash was hidden in a fire proof safe.

“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.

“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 (Seventy Four Thousand Pound Sterling).

“On February 8, 2017, Andrew Yakubu reported to the commission’s Zonal office in Kano and made statement wherein he admitted ownership of the recovered money, claiming it was gift from unnamed persons. He is currently assisting the investigation.”