FRAUD EXPOSED IN THE PRESIDENCY KASIM BUKAR SHETTIMA NAMED WITH , VP SAMBO

VP Sambo's hanger on, Shettima, named in multi billion naira frauds

An example has been his usage of the name and office of the Vice President, Architect Namadi Sambo, to evade duties and taxes on products imported.

                                                                                                     One of the hangers on in the Presidency, Kashim Bukar Shettima, described as a petty car dealer, has been named in several illegal transactions running into billions of naira in both local and foreign currencies.

Such transactions in which Shettima has been fingered include money laundering, bunkering, extortion, duty evasion, tax evasion, round tripping, identity theft schemes and advance fee frauds, popularly known as 419.
A source said that Shettima incorporated numerous companies as a front for his activities.

Some of the companies include Barbedos Ventures Limited, Enigma limited, Sky limit International Limited, Enigma Oil Services Limited, Barbedos Oil and Gas Services Limited, Barbedos Cars Limited and Skyjet Aviation Services Limited.
One of the scams for which Shettima has attracted attention is that involving his company and an American company, Insured Aircraft Title Service, based in Oklahoma, on an aircraft deal.
Shettima has been dragged to court over the deal.
The Presidency hanger on was also said to have been involved in cheque and postal order forgery.
The amount involved is said to be over £20 million.
The forged cheques and postal orders couriered from Lagos, Nigeria, was reportedly found at Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom.
In another incident, a handbag containing more than £1 million worth of false cheques was found at a parcel centre in Coventry.
In 2009, Shettima weaved a scam on a Lebanese company, Rawfert Offshore SAL, using the portal, Alibaba.com.
Inspite of Rawfert's cautious approach to business opportunities arising through web portals from Nigeria, the company fell into Shettima’s ingenious scam, signing two contracts with Ref. 19/ FO 44 RF/KF and Ref. 43/RF/KF for supplies of urea and NPK.

But the company recorded heavy losses from the deal with bill of laden on the Congenbill 1994 form issued at Nikka Terra Port, Ukraine, dated March 27, 2009 for Vessel Mariupol.
Shettima, sources said, made Rawfert believe that he is an “authorised agent” for several state governments.
But Rawfert was lucky to win the case against Shettima after a long frustrating experience.

Sources also hinted that Shettima is under scrutiny by the Nigerian Navy for operating illegal oil bunkering vessels.
Such vessels each bear one million litres of suspected Automotive Gas Oil and are without the clearance of the Navy authorities.
Shettima is said to be using his connection in the Presidency to fullest advantage.

An example has been his usage of the name and office of the Vice President, Architect Namadi Sambo, to evade duties and taxes on products imported.

When Mrs. Farida Waziri was the chairperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Shettima reportedly colluded with her to extort billions of Naira from businessmen.
He was said to have used the EFCC as an intimidating machine that would mercilessly target businessmen with false allegations, arrests and frivolous actions without following due process or the rule of law.

Cleverly misusing his proximity to the VP, Shettima often intimidated vulnerable businessmen and others with the police, the EFCC and the State Security Service through false alerts and petitions to these unsuspecting agencies.
Learning from experience however, the EFCC and the SSS are now said to be more wary of Shettima’s moves, having realised his ulterior motives.
A prime example is said to be the case of aircrafts that he imported into the country without paying duties, again misrepresenting the VP’s office for the benefit of his company, Skyjet Aviation Services. 

Shettima boasts an impressive fleet, including Hawkers, Learjet, Legacy 600 and Learjet 650.
Many are, however, questioning the source of the wealth of Shettima since he does not have any credible business to support his income.
Shettima, curiously, is the representative of Embraer, Brazil.
Some insist that he got the deal through laundered money and advance fee fraud.
This, it was learnt, has resulted in investigations internationally.
This is said to be in addition to his acting as a conduit for other Nigerian holders of ill gotten wealth.
Over the years, several other items including Mercedes cars, Lexus jeeps, armoured cars and other vehicles were imported without paying any duty, leading to losses to the government.
Such loss is said to be in excess of N6.237 billion.

The cars are said to be parked at his warehouses and premises.
The cars are said to be brand new cars declared as Tunkunbo.
Efforts by authorities to investigate were reportedly met with severe intimidation and threats of dismissal, using Sambo's office.

Shettima has also been named in fertilizer scams.
He reportedly deceives state governments on dodgy fertilizer contracts, using front companies.
This, it was learnt, has led to severe losses by the state governments, which are deprived of valuable fertilizer inputs to millions of affected farmers in states such as Kaduna.
Such losses, it was learnt, is in excess of N15.85 billion and were, in some cases, caused through clever manipulation of delivered quantities against invoiced quantities.
In addition to this, several shipments of fertilizers, meant for farmers at a subsidized cost, were diverted to the lucrative black market through manipulation of supply records.
Such shipments included vessels HAKUFU (25,236.35 MT), NORD IMABARI (25,000MT), LUBNA (21,998.135MT), ASKABAT (15,760MT), LIVADIA (27,500MT), MARIUPOL (21,096MT), ENFORCER (22,000MT), SUJITRA NAREE (25,000MT), ZOGRAFIA (23000MT), MIRACH (25,000MT)
Actual supplies to farmers in Sokoto, Katsina and Kaduna States were hardly around 10 per cent of the shipped quantities and through cleverly manipulated invoices, in collusion with officials, Shettima was able to pocket not less than N10.56 billion.
Halliburton had in February 2009 pleaded guilty to federal charges in the United States that it paid $180 million in bribes to Nigerian officials to secure the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas contracts in Bonny, Rivers State.
Shettima was a key conduit for these activities, which are in violation of Section 16 of the Money Laundering Act 1995 (as saved by Section 23(2) of the Money Laundering Act 2004) and punishable under Section 15(2) and (3) of the Money Laundering Act 1995 (as saved by Section 23(2) of the Money Laundering Act, 2004).
He was probed for his involvement in the activities of Saipem unit Snamprogetti Netherlands, as part of the TSKJ consortium, in connection with contracts to build liquid natural gas facilities on Bonny Island, Nigeria.
Saipem was investigated for allegations it paid bribes in Nigeria between 1994 and 2004 to get contracts worth more than $6 billion to build liquefied natural gas facilities.
The normally cautious Chinese were also not spared.
In the case of China Railway Construction Corporation, Beijing, Shettima reportedly, in association with late Waziri Mohammed, defrauded the company to the tune of $38.67 million.
Owing to the activities of Shettima, some companies have withdrawn from doing business with Nigeria.
Such companies include PetrotechInc, Maxwell Corporation, Gulf Energy, Classic Chemicals Inc, Global Investments, Maximus Industries and Nexus Holdings Brazil.
His style reportedly involves winning trust with promises of lucrative contracts and eventual desertion of ties, after having pocketed a fortune.
Shettima is also linked with James Ibori’s international dealings that involved tax evasion and money laundering.
UK prosecutors are investigating laundering deals through Shettima’s conduit companies in Channel Islands and alleged bank accounts with BNP Paribas, 10, Harewood Avenue, London, NW1 6AA (Swift: BNPAGB22) and CITIBANK Promenade Level, Cabot Place East, Canary Wharf, London, E14 4QS (Swift : CITIGB2L, IBAN: GB20CITI18500810125393).
Clandestine investigations are said to be carried out on Shettima, being one of the cronies being used by Ibori from behind the bars in the UK.
His disproportionate accumulation of assets without legitimate sources of income has raised alarm bells with authorities in Nigeria and Europe.
Shettima’s operations are from 13A, Ali Akilu Road, close to Lugard Roundabout, Kaduna Kaduna State and 11, Baltic Crescent, Maitama, Abuja.
One of the sources said: "Nigeria should act decisively and quickly to identify and remove deterrents to its ambitious socio economic goals.
"As the world environment gets more challenging, Nigeria should enhance its attractiveness towards serious foreign investment and technologies to further its interests.
"This would however remain a distant dream unless fraudsters such as Shettima are not allowed to thrive in the system and sabotage any sign of progress.
"My belief is that President Goodluck Jonathan’s recent statement that raises some hopes would be kept when he was quoted as saying: 'I want to reassure all Nigerians that this administration remains committed to waging a sustained battle against the menace of corruption. In the last one year, we have taken specific steps to reduce opportunities and avenues for corruption, and to strengthen the capacity and integrity of our institutions.'"

Culled from Eagle online.