Akintoye Akindele
By Victory Oghene
The Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, Akintoye Akindele has spent the first night in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) cell over alleged misappropriation of $35million.
Akintoye who was arrested on Tuesday in Abuja was accused of diverting public funds to the tune of $35 million (about N60bn).
EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the arrest to newsmen on Thursday, noting that he was arrested in Abuja on Tuesday.
“He is in our custody. He was arrested on Tuesday in Abuja,” he said.
It was learnt that the former Managing Director of Duport Midstream Company Limited and Chairman of Platform Capital, who is also being tried by the police over alleged diversion of $5,636,397.01, and N73,543,763.25, belonging to Summit Oil International Ltd, and bribery of the police with N150 million, has been linked to various other alleged scams.
Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board reportedly paid $35 million to Akindele to build a 2,000 barrel-per-day refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre and tank farm at Brass Free Trade Zone, Okpoama Community in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Akindele was accused of abandoning the projects after receiving the money in December 2020.
Akindele had initially mooted the idea of the project to the board and the NCDMB embraced it with a counterpart funding to the tune of $35 million, a source said.
“He allegedly received $35 million from NCDMB to build a 2,000bpd refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre and tank farm at Brass Free Trade Zone, Okpoama Community in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State.
“Since December 2020 when the payments were made, Akindele allegedly abandoned the project with little or nothing to show for the huge sum paid to him.”
He allegedly received the money through the Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited and sent it to four of his companies.
