Offshore assets: CCB opens investigation into Obi, Saraki, Mark, four others

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has opened investigations into former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, former Senate Presidents Bukola Saraki and David Mark, and four others over alleged undeclared offshore assets, Premium Times reports.

The others are former Aviation Minister Stella Oduah, late former Bayelsa State Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, former Delta State Governor James Ibori and retired Delta judicial officer Stella Ogene.

All seven individuals were named in the Panama Papers and Pandora Papers investigations published by the newspaper.

“All the Nigerian officials named in the Panama and Pandora papers will be investigated. But seven of them have been assigned to case officers who have already commenced investigations,” a CCB source said.

The reports alleged that the individuals used offshore companies to hold assets while in public office, raising questions about compliance with Nigeria’s asset declaration laws.

Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), had said he was unaware that jointly owned assets had to be declared.