How Cagewox Siphoned N3.1 Billion From Abia Oil Wells Ceded From Rivers — Group

A pressure political group, Abia Investigative for Good Governance (AIGG) has alleged that the deliberate looting of funds meant for development of Abia has continued for a long time.

The group claimed that Cagewox Dot Net Nigeria Ltd. fraudulently siphoned (3.1billion) at 25% from Abia oil wells ceded from Rivers state.

According to the group, we are happy that gradually all those fraudulent transactions used to siphon billions of Abia money are resurrecting and gradually God is exposing past hidden dirty deals and the liberation of Abia has come sooner than we all expected.

According to AIGG, The attached documents shows how the past administration of Sen TA Orji entered into agreement with a company called Techno Consult for the sole purpose of recovering proceeds of 22 oil wells and arrears of funds that were wrongly counting for Rivers State government.

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The group added that the formal engagement letter dated 09/03/2010 was issued and agreement signed between Abia State government and Techno Consult ran by Engr Odo Ijere by then Commissioner Jones Udeogu who left govt shortly after signing the contract that Abia State government will pay 15% of all the recoveries. This includes the recovery of proceeds of 22 oil wells wrongly paid to Rivers State government valued at about 12,612.767,468.75 ( Twelve billon Six hundred and twelve million, Seven hundred sixty seven thousand four hundred sixty eight Naira Seventy five kobo ).

“Techno Consult started work by interfacing with Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR ) and RAMFAC in same 2010 towards reconciliations and recovery of arrears of proceeds from the 22 oil wells from Rivers State government.”

They recounted their experience in the hands of some government officials and how the then Governor, TA Orji on noticing that they have opened formal communication between DPR/ RAMFAC and the State, sent the then Commissioner for Finance, Dr Nick Eleri who invited them to Umuahia for a meeting at the government house.”

“They were told that the contract agreement will be altered as the state government will be willing to part with only 10% while they return the 5% to a third party which they later identified as Mr Sampson Orji the known conduit pipe of the then administration.

“In another meeting at Umuahia Government house between Techno Consult, the Governor and some of his aides which included Mr Sampson Orji.Dr Nick Eleri and Mr Emma Nwabuko, they were told that they have decided to use a common company account called (Cagewok Dot Net Ltd )for the purpose of recovering the proceeds of the 22 oil wells refund contracts which they vehemently refused insisting that they (Techno Consult) have a valied and life contract with Abia State Government ( attached).”

“Engr Odo Ijere later discovered that Abia State government officials led by Mr Sampson Orji have also been fraudulently introduced to some officials of RAMFC for the sole purpose of edging out Techno Consult ltd from the job because they had seen/ discovered that the N12billon ( Twelve billion Naira)was recoverable.”

“Cagewox Dot Net Ltd powered by Sampson Orji on behalf of the then runners of Abia State was used in connivance/ collaboration of the State government officials to fraudulently replace/ remove Techno Consult who initiated and concluded the recovery of these oil wells and the funds that were returned to Abia State from River State from 2015 to 2017.”

“It is instructive to note that whereas Abia State Government engaged a company, Techno Consult LTD in 2010 to help recover arrears of recovered proceeds of 22 oil wells retrieved from River State on 15% Commission of whatever amount recovered from Rivers State government, they later bypassed the company (Techno Consult Ltd)and ensured that another firm Cagewox Dot Net Ltd fraudulently nominated by them was paid 25% of Abia Oil refund money .This is the height of fraud as the matter has been in court since 2017.”

“The matter in court is between Techno Consult and Abia Government CV/1044/17 at Jabi High Court and is awaiting final determination.
A total of N12.798.822.205.17 was paid to Abia State from March 2015 as these funds were paid in N355m per month in 36months installments and Cagewox Dot Net Nigeria Ltd was fraudulently paid N3,199.720.551(Three billion One hundred and ninety nine million seven hundred and twenty thousand five hundred and Fifty one Niara being 25% of the total amount recovered from River State by present officials of Abia State, leaving the company that initiated and did the job.”

“The fraud is so complex as it is alleged that original owners of the company Cagewox dot net Ltd was not aware that their company was fraudulently used for transaction in Abia State . It took the insistence of FIRS on remittance of company tax form the original owners to understand that their company was used in Abia for such a fraudulent transaction. We call on EFCC to deepen their investigation and help return Abia money siphoned by these officals.”

“Abians needs to rise up and take back their State. We also understand that this issue is currently being investigated by EFCC at Port Harcourt. We are gradually removing the vile that has held Abia back for years. God is at work in Abia. No matter how long it takes the truth must be made open one day. Abia must be liberated from the greedy few that have stagnated the development of Abia State.”

At the time of filling this report, efforts to speak with Cagewox company proved abortive.