Confusion rages over ownership of $50M

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has refused to respond to inquiries from Pulse over ownership of a queer $50M in cash.
The stash of cash was found on a property in upmarket Ikoyi, Lagos, recently.
Acting on a tip-off, personnel of the EFCC deployed minimum force to slam open flat 7B, No. 16 Osborne Road, Ikoyi.
According to the EFCC, whistle-blowers had told of a haggard looking woman who was in the habit of going in and out of the apartment at the oddest of hours; a Ghana-must-go bag perched on her head.
Once inside the apartment, the anti-graft operatives found $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218,000 in raw cash, neatly arranged and concealed in cabinets.
The cabinets themselves were hidden behind wooden panels of a bedroom wardrobe.
The cash totaled a cumulative $50M, and at the time of writing, no one has claimed ownership of the find.
However, the building where the cash was found, now has names attached to it.
Immediate past chairman of the PDP, Adamu Muazu, who initially denied owning the building, later released a statement saying although he owned the property, he’s since sold same to developers and various occupants.
“I acquired the land and jointly developed the property using a bank loan I obtained about nine years ago,” Muazu said.
He added that; “However, all the flats have been sold to prospective buyers in order to pay back the loan. I do not own or occupy any of the apartments.
“I sold all the apartments through established estate agents. As such, I have no knowledge or interest in who purchases or rents any of the flats.
“I commend the efforts of the officials of the EFCC and the government’s drive at fighting corruption”, he added.
A former Managing Director, Operations, at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue was also initially linked to ownership of the cash.
But even she has washed her hands off the stash.
Reports say Nnamdi-Ogbue who admitted to residing in one of the apartments in the building, was taken in for interrogation by EFCC operatives, and has since been released.
Transport minister Rotimi Amaechi, has also been linked to the cash.
But when Pulse called him, Amaechi said he owns no property in Lagos and strenuously denied that the money is his.
Lere Olayinka who is a spokesperson of Ekiti Governor Ayo Fayose, was among the first set of persons to link the discovered money to Amaechi.
According to Olayinka, the apartment where the money was found “is owned by the minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
“The house was built by Alhaji Adamu Muazu through a loan from GTBank. He could not repay the loan, so GTB took over the house and allocated the penthouse to Muazu and two flats.
“Rotimi Amaechi bought two of the flats (7A and 7B). He then gave 7A to Mo Abudu (television talkshow host) who is suspected to be his girlfriend”.
Olayinka continued: “But the flat 7B where the money was found belong to Rotimi Amaechi.
“This is believed to be cash kept for 2019 elections.
“Let’s see how the cover up game goes.”