We will probe Alpha Beta’s N150bn scandal if… —EFCC

A major financial scandal is brewing in the circle of the Lagos State government just as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday promised a robust investigation.

Embattled erstwhile Managing Director of Alpha Beta Consulting Limited, the firm handling Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the state government, Dapo Apara, has petitioned the anti-corruption agency, accusing his former employers of engaging in money laundering, tax evasion, fraud, bribery, fake loans and compromise of banking rules and regulations.

Involved in the deal, he said, is N150 billion.

Apart from the petition dated 6th July, 2018, which was done to the commission through his counsel, Adetunji Shoyoye and associates, Apara, has also been on Twitter spilling the bean on the firm.

The firm, which was incorporated in 2002, has also been collecting IGR for the state government, spanning three successive administrations of former Governors Bola Tinubu, Babatunde Fashola and the incumbent Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

The petition titled “Petition of a case of money laundering, tax evasion, fraud running into over one hundred billion Naira against Alpha Beta Consulting Limited and Alpha Beta LLP” was received at the EFCC on July 11, 2018 as seen on the receipt acknowledgement on the cover page.

The four-page petition was signed by Adetunji Adegboyega, his lawyer.

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The law firm alleged that Apara’s life was in danger which would require the petition being prosecuted through his lawyers, while guaranteeing the client’s willingness to testify and substantiate all the allegations in the petition.

The petition reads in part: “It is sad, however, that years down the line, the company has become an avenue for official corruption of government officials, a conduit pipe for massive money laundering scheme, tax evasion, among other vices.

“Over the years, the company is being protected and shielded by some powerful politicians and people in the society which made them to always boast of being untouchable but our client, feeling the need not to keep quiet again and strengthened by his belief in the fact that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is keen on fighting corruption which has been the bane of our country, is of the firm belief that it is time to expose and open the can of worms called Alpha Beta Consulting.

“Kindly note, sir, as our client is willing and able to provide information to substantiate the claims, though we will plead for this to be done through us as he is presently fearing for his life, having been receiving death threats from a lot of quarters because of this case.”

When contacted on the fate of the petition, spokesperson of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said, “Usually, petitions don’t pass through my office. If such petition was submitted, it will be processed.”

On his twitter handle @DapoApara, the petitioner alleged that “the @officialEFCC investigation should be simple and straight forward. Not rocket science. @AlphaBetaLLP has been IGR consultants to @LasgoOfficial since 2002, earning about 10% and has generated IGR of about N1.5 trillion (yes trillion), excluding FAAC, loans.

“From this, @AlphaBetaLLP has earned about N150 billion in fees. Fortunately all is documented through the banking system, including the fake loans”.

When the company was contacted on its official telephone line displayed on its website — 0708 011 2233 — its member of staff who picked the call directed Saturday Tribune to the Human Resources and the Compliance departments forcomments. Both could not be reached as of press time last night.