As the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC intensifies its  investigation and prosecution of suspects involved in the $180 million  Halliburton and 17.5 million Euros Siemens bribery scams, operatives of the anti-graft agency on Friday November 26, 2010 raided the office of a Swiss logistics company, Panalpina in Lagos and arrested 11 of its top officials over an alleged distribution of $240 million bribes to some officials in Nigeria and other countries.

Those arrested during the raid include the General manager, Trevor Burrell; Head of finance, Buehler Alphonso; Airfreight coordinator, Mark Daud and Willem Heck.Others include Joseph Ikpong, Edward Iweanya, Augustine Ilevbaodion, Uche Ojogho, Udoh Emmanuel, Moses Oyekunle, and Victor Adenedimoh.

The company which has changed its name in Nigeria to Premier Logistics Solution Nig Ltd was said to have along with another multi national company operating in the country distributed bribes worth over $240 million to some Nigerian officials and others in about six countries between 2001 and 2006.

All the arrested suspects are presently undergoing interrogation in the Commission's office.The Commission had on Thursday carried out a similar exercise in Halliburton office in Lagos where 10 of its officials were arrested while the CEOs of Saipem construction coy, Giuseppe Surace and Technip offshore Nig Ltd, Frank Pliya were equally picked.

Femi Babafemi

Head, Media & Publicity

26/11/2010