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EFCC probes Tinubu’s Alpha Beta, Fowler quizzed over N100bn tax fraud
BY NICHOLAS ABE
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may have finally begun the probe of Alpha Beta Consulting, a tax consultancy firm said to be promoted by former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
This follows the reported interrogation of a former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler, over N100 billion tax evasion allegation levelled against Alpha Beta by the company’s former Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dapo Apara.
The Punch reports that Fowler, who was also a former Chairman, Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, responded to an invitation by the EFCC on Monday.
In a petition to the EFCC in 2018, Apara stated that Alpha Beta, the firm given exclusive rights to monitor and collect Internally Generated Revenue on behalf of the Lagos Government, “has become an avenue for official corruption of government officials, a conduit pipe for massive money-laundering scheme, tax evasion, among other vices.”
The petition signed by Adetunji Adegboyega on behalf of the law firm, Adetunji Shoyoye and Associates, read in part, “Over the years the company has been 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’s time to expose and open the can of worms called Alpha Beta Consulting.”
EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, according to The Punch, confirmed that Fowler responded to the anti-crime agency’s invitation but did not give details.
“Yes, Fowler responded to an invitation this morning. I believe he is still here,” Uwujaren affirmed.
READ: Why Babatunde Fowler lost a second term at FIRS
RELIABLESOURCENG.COM had reported recently that Apara, in a sworn court affidavit, claimed that he solely conceived the idea of Alpha Beta Consulting, using his firm, Infiniti Systems Enterprises, sometime in the year 2000 and sold the idea to Asiwaju Tinubu, who was then the executive governor of Lagos State.
He alleged that Tinubu demanded that 70% equity interest in the project be assigned to a certain Olumide Ogunmola before he, Tinubu, would approve the project. This arrangement left him with 30% holding in the company at the end of the day.
He, however, quickly added that Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and often referred to as ‘Governor Emeritus of Lagos State’, had been in control of the affairs of the company from inception.
Apara, in a statement of claim dated October 2, 2020, filed before a Lagos High Court by his lawyer, Tade Ipadeola, further alleged that Tinubu (2nd Defendant), had colluded with the 3rd Defendant, Mr. Akin Doherty, to siphon monies running into billions of Naira, belonging to Alpha Beta (1st Defendant), to third parties, without his knowledge, even though he was supposed to be a signatory to the company’s account.
He claimed that Alpha Beta had received from the Lagos State Government commission for its services estimated at over N150 billion, from 2010 to date. This is excluding whatever else the company had earned between the years 2000-2009.