The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has placed a former Director of Nigerian Navy Accounts, Rear Admiral Tahir Yusuf (retd.) on its watchlist.
The EFCC had accused Yusuf of embezzling N2billion during his tenure as Director of Nigerian Navy Accounts.
Yusuf, who was the deputy to the Chief of Account and Budget, Naval Headquarters (NHQ), held the cash in seven accounts- both private and corporate in two banks.
In a letter to the Comptroller General of the NIS, the anti-graft agency placed the top naval officer on the watch list of the Nigeria Immigration Service.
It was learned that the EFCC asked the NIS to inform it anytime the retired navy top officer was travelling out of the country from any of the international airports and other points of entry and exit.
“He is now on our watch list again, the EFCC requested the NIS to place him on watchlist and inform it anytime he is travelling out of the country from any of the international airports and other points of entry and exit,” a senior immigration officer told SaharaReporters.
In 2020, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the permanent forfeiture of about N500 million found to be fraudulently amassed by the former military officer to the Nigerian government.
The total amount forfeited was N392,695,857.87, including $91,955.38 and the sum of £15,050 held in domiciliary accounts. Following the forfeiture, it was learned that Yusuf fled Nigeria to Dubai, United Arab Emirate.
The EFCC and National Intelligence Agency also asked the Nigeria Immigration Service and Interpol to place him on a watch list and have him arrested at the point of entry or exit.
However, Yusuf sneaked back to the country in October 2021 after he illegally obtained an international passport.
