Hajia Bola Shagaya Under EFCC Probe, Returning N800M Arms Money Received From Dasuki To Escape Prosecution

Ex-first Lady, Patience Jonathan’s friend, and billionaire businesswoman, Hajia Bola Shagaya, is on the list of wheeler-dealers being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , for receiving arms money from embattled ex-NSA, Sambo Dasuki to prosecute ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election, OrijoReporter exclusively gathered.

A reliable source familiar with the matter said Hajia Shagaya got N800m from Dasuki for ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election campaign for Kwara State and had been invited by the EFCC.

It was said that the mother-of-four has refunded part of the money she received from Dasuki.

It would be recalled that Hajia Shagaya turned a politician overnight during the reign of ex-President Jonathan, due to a close rapport between her and the former first lady, and influenced the emergence of her son, Sheriff Shagaya, as the Peoples Democratic Party candidate for Asa/Ilorin West Federal Constituency of Kwara State in the 2015 general election.

Her candidate, Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman, a lecturer with University of Abuja, was also made the minister of state for national planning, the only minister from Kwara in the twilight of the Jonathan-led government.

She was equally in the centre of the controversy that surrounded PDP’s governorship candidate in Kwara State as allegation was rife that her insistence on imposing her candidate, Dele Belgore, led to the crisis that rocked the party in the state even after the emergence of Senator Simeon Ajibola as the party’s flag bearer.

The Ilorin-born billionaire sits on the board of Unity Bank, and according to Forbes, is the 10th wealthiest woman in Africa.

Since the time of Late Maryam Babangida she had befriended all the first ladies except Hajia Turai yar’adua, who didn’t embrace her overture of friendship.

She once confided in this reporter that she met Patience Jonathan during ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo-led government while they were both with ex-first lady, Late Stella Obasanjo, in Otta, Ogun State.

Then, Jonathan was the deputy governor of Bayelsa State, and his principal, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, was facing money laundering charge in London before he jumped bail.