Mohammed Babangida, polo player and first son of former military president Ibrahim Babangida was arrested earlier today by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from his Abuja hotel suite, sources told Saharareporters.

 A source within the EFCC confirmed that his arrest was part continuation of a prolonged probe into the ownership of GLOBACOM, a telecom company owned by Mike Adenuga who was recently arrested by the EFCC.

Mohammed Babangida is alleged to posses 24% ownership in the $1.5 billion company. He had earlier been invited by the EFCC to explain how he came about the wealth used in purchasing the shares and he denied knowledge of such investments. The EFCC source said their investigation finally paid off after Mike Adenuga revealed this to the EFCC during his arrest and interrogation.  Mike Adenuga had long been rumored as a front for retired General Babangida, who is unarguably one of Nigeria’s most corrupt past leaders.

Mohammed, according to our sources also owns oil blocks in Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea as well as several buildings in London even though he never held a real job his entire life.

 Mohammed is married to Rahama Indimi, daughter of another IBB’s associate and front man, Alhaji Mohammed Indimi, Chairman of Oriental Energy Resources Limited which owns Oil Mining License (OML) 115 and Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 224 which covers around 61,000 acres located in shallow waters 35 miles offshore Nigeria's prolific southeastern producing area, Texas based Sovereign Oil and Gas company provides technical support to Oriental. Sovereign's President Joseph M. Bruso, Jr. once said, "OML 115 is located in one of the richest oil tracts in the world. The block lies at the center of a 1.2 million-acre tract with over 7 billion barrels of proved oil reserves. The area produces over one million barrels of oil per day."

There is no official word from the EFCC about plan to bring charges against Mohammed Babangida. Prior to his arrest, Mohammed had been annointed by Governor Kure and IBB's political associates as the next governor of Niger State. As at press time, IBB and his political associates were making frantic efforts to bail Mohammed from the EFCC in Abuja.

 More to come

Robot  # 1 | 12.08.2006 08:10

Mohammed Babangida, polo player and first son of for...Read the full article.

WaleAkin  # 2 | 12.08.2006 08:30

The arrest of IBB's son to a certain degree is unwarranted!!! First, it was Adenuga and now Mohammed why the main conduit is being left alone, Nigerians are not fooled, IBB needs to be arrested and questioned on various financial and political anomalies. Anything short of this is tantamount to gross negligence and OPEN CLOSED EYES on the part of EFCC. If we have all these facts, whats delaying the arrest of IBB? Now is this man so strong that EFCC cannot arrest him? Cheers, WaleAkin

toy boy  # 3 | 12.08.2006 08:38

I am yet to verify the authenticity of this report, but i hope it is true in its entirety, as this will be a step in the right direction and a way forward for our dear country-Nigeria. On expanding the trail further, the buck will eventually stop at his fathers' (Babangida) table. This will definately lay to rest the non proof issue OBJ had been making so much noise of not having on our stolen funds by IBB. surely this is nemesis or karma catching up with IBB for all the injustice and plifering of our collective wealth as a nation

Auspicious  # 4 | 12.08.2006 08:41

Omo naa jo baba e no be small..

ITOOKNOW  # 5 | 12.08.2006 08:44

Everybody in the north has oil block some where. One Nigeria is sweet, isn't it ? In the next fight, I will be a suicide bomber, believe me!

WaleAkin  # 6 | 12.08.2006 08:49

Toyboy, Its a confirmed story...........I think its on THISDAY also if i am not wrong!! I have a problem with the modus operandi of the EFCC, when you have such damning evidences, whats stopping the arrest of the so called Big boss. IBB has a larger than life personality that stinks and many Nigerians cannot stomach it any longer, recall that he never honoured the invite of the Oputa Panel and even demanded a private helicopter with fully armed guards but it was more easier for him to attend the burial of the Adenuga's Matriach in Ogun State with no such security. EFCC will carve a niche for itself the day IBB is arrested.....................enough of this meandering thus leading to the formation of an Ox-Bow lake of no use!! Bigger Action pls!!

Citizen O  # 7 | 12.08.2006 08:50

Mr. WaleAkin, This arrest is the most exciting news about the EFCC's seriousness yet. It sounds like they have obtained some proof of Mohammed Babangida's major investment in Globacom, rather than the kind of baseless innuendo that goes on about every Nigerian politician and his family. By getting Adenuga to talk and arresting Babangida Jr., they have sent the message that IBB is not a sacred cow to Obasanjo's administration or to Ribadu's forces. These are men that would arrest, sentence, and jail IBB if there was proof on the ground, and I doubt that they would even go this far without some concrete information on 007's previous dealings. I recall Mallam Ribadu hinting that murderers should continue to add to their body count, as the EFCC was on their trail. Does this mean we may get some answers about the untimely deaths of Dele Giwa, Bola Ige, Marshall Harry, and countless others? My brother--it is not good to hero-worship OBJ or Nuhu Ribadu, but what is going on today in Nigeria is unprecedented since Independence under a democratic government (the abbreviated exception of the Buhari regime was achieved under military dictatorship). The elite of the country, billionaires who would ordinarily never see one day in a jail cell for any crime committed in Naija are now being carted to EFCC headquarters for the world to see. Concrete documentation of their crimes is being assembled, and real charges are being brought up. Love or hate this administration, this has NEVER before happened in our history and I think we are truly reaching a turning point. For those who are suspicious of OBJ's motives, imagine the possibility of an EFCC investigating him after he leaves office?!? We are on our way to a Nigeria that Halima Sadiya Mamud might be proud to lay down her life for...

gwobezentashi  # 8 | 12.08.2006 08:52

The stakes keep getting higher by the day. It is claimed that Mohammed lied to the EFCC about his ownership of 24% of Globacom shares. Under the EFCC Act, that's called obstruction and it landed Tafa in the slammer for 6 months. However is there a distinction between the individual and the corporate? Is there a distinction between his ownership of shares in a company that owns 24% of Globacom? All na legalese abi? Who no know e go know abi? It seems that the Godson(Obj) has really broken free and is baring his fangs against his Godfather(IBB). The war is getting really messy by the day with the families now seen as fair game. Obj has plenty of children. Shouldn't we be looking at what they have and asking questions? Gbenga and Global Steel may be interesting. New York apartment for Olu etc. His own dealings are encyclopaedic enough anyway. My people, we can see say Baba vex well well over the TTA plan A wey we block o. Now he wants his pound of flesh from his Godfathers and any others. If the end result is good for Nigeria, we are behind him except we know that while he is busy catching some oles, like Abacha he is busy stuffing his own face with Transcorp shares and various other assets unseen. Tommorrow someone else will come and unveil Baba's corruption too and the beat will go on. Nigerians will continue to suffer from inept parapo governance. When will it end? The sycophants in PDP now want to make Obj their "leader for life" just as a sign that they intended to make him President for Life given the chance. Who dash monkey banana? Aluta! Gwobezentashi

WaleAkin  # 9 | 12.08.2006 09:14

You see with the level of fraud perpetrated by IBB and Co (We may not readily have the substantiated proof) but we know and if the EFCC has such proofs then they need not release Adenuga at all. When Tafa Balogun was indicted and sentenced, he was incarcerated from day one of the arrest and even driven on by the over-zealous officers, why must we kill one and spare the order? Tafa was arrested headlong, it took the EFCC arrest team well over 8 hours to get Adenuga and now confirmed reports has it that IBB and co are making frantic efforts to get Mohammed released on bail. Coming back to answer your question on EFCC wanting to question OBJ after 2007........The answer is NO cos the moment OBJ leaves Aso-Rock, that marks the end of EFCC. Cheers

Anon  # 10 | 12.08.2006 09:15

Mr. Wale Akin, If a man over 30yrs old has no visible means of employment and has hardly done any honest work in his life is living a life of affluence, and he is held and you advocate that he should be left alone, then I am sorry for our country. Please each of them, including Babaginda, Atiku, Shagari, Gowon, even Buhari and Idiagbon, plus OBJ himself and all the former heads of state who plundered this country to unimaginable heights should be investigated. Their children who are now multi billionaires should be questioned and locked up if they are living off these plundered wealth, and for those that are dead like Abacha and Murtala Mohammed and Tafawa Balewa, their corpses should also be exhumed to face trial and then reburied with any pomp or pagentary. Many ordinary suffering Nigerians should be in attendance at these burials spitting on thier graves for good measure. Enough is Enough!!!

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