By Ado Hassan, Sokoto
TWO Chinese nationals, Mr Meng Wei Kun and Mr Xu Kuoi have been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crest Commission( (EFCC) for alleged attempt to offer N100 million bribe to officials of the anti graft agency in Sokoto.
Those alleged to be bribed by the duo were the Commission’s Sokoto Zonal Head of Operations, Lawal Abdullahi and his team.
Similarly, the anti graft agency while in the process of the arrest, said it seized other items which included 3 laptops, five smart phones and some relevant documents in addition to fifty million naira.
The Chinese nationals , Meng Wei Kun and Xu Kuoi working with a construction company, Zhounghao Nigeria Limited, were nabbed following a responsive and coordinated operation by operatives of the anti graft agency.
While parading the duo Tuesday before reporters at the Sama road office of the Commission, Abdullahi said they offered him and his team the said amount to compromise ongoing investigation against the company.
” Their arrest took us four days through coordinated efforts by our agency”, the Zonal Head said.
Explaining further , Abdullahi said ” Mr Kun , MD of the company contacted me on May 7, 2020, over an ongoing investigation against the company when he offered me and my investigating team N100 million to compromise the case.
” However, series of discussion had been on for four days after which agreement was reached to that I should come half of the sum at their office/residence located at Kasarawa along airport road, Sokoto.”
According to the Zonal Head, ” in our wisdom and to be responsive through a well coordinated operation with a team of operatives, the duo, Mr Wei Kun and Mr Xu Kuoi got nabbed while giving the bribe to me”, he said.
The company according to Abdullahi is being investigated by the Commission for alleged conspiracy , abuse of office, misappropriation , diversion of public funds as well as money laundering offences.
He said that this case involved N60 billion worth of contracts awarded to the company by the Zamfara state government between 2012 and 2019 where the company received over N41 bn and allegedly diverted over N16bn.
According to the Zonal Head, the suspects would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation.
