Those who know me know that I’m a private investigator and whistle-blower - Sen Melaye

Dino Melaye, the senator representing Kogi west at the national assembly, says those who have followed his records know he is a private investigator and a whistle-blower.


Melaye said this on Thursday at an investigative hearing into his allegation that MTN, a telecommunications firm, colluded with Okechukwu Enelamah, minister of industry, trade and Investment, to illegally move $13.92billion out of he country, between 2006 and 2016.

“I brought this up as a whistle-blower; I have nothing personal against MTN. Those who know my records know I have always been a private investigator,” Melaye said.

“I moved a motion on the Airport road and kubwa road (Abuja) and there was a downward review of that contract by N100 billion. It is for the future where my son will ask me: what did you do when Nigeria was going bad?

“If you say the truth, you will die. If you don’t, you will die. Why not say the truth? I am satisfied with the processes the senate is taking. What I have presented is not fallacious, I have documents.

“There are lot of multi-national companies repatriating funds half our foreign reserve.”

On September 27, Melaye had expressed “serious concerns” that since inception, MTN had sought the collaboration of influential and unpatriotic Nigerians to assist them in looting the country’s external reserves.

“The minister of industry, trade and investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelamah, owner of CELTELCOM Investment Limited with address at No 608, St James, Denis Street Port-Lewis Mauritius purportedly claimed to invest in MTN on February 7, 2008, got certificate of capital importation and filled form A on the same date, closed his investment in Nigeria after receiving dollar payment‎ for repatriation to New York same day,” he said, before urging the senate to mandate its committee on banking, insurance and other financial institutions to “carry out holistic investigation into the matter”.

MTN denied the allegation, describing it as “completely unfounded and without any merit”.