Political leaders and stakeholders from Edo State have called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to go after those who have allegedly stolen funds and other assets.
According to them, the out-going Governor Godwin Obaseki must account for over N1.5 trillion federal allocations for eight years, generated revenues, loans, grants and other financial incentives.
Meanwhile, senior EFCC officials are said to have moved into Edo State and may arrest more senior officials of the Obaseki administration in the days ahead.
These developments are coming barely one week to the inauguration of a new government to be led by Senator Monday Okpebholo.
The leaders said the EFCC must move fast and not to wait until Obaseki leaves office before stolen funds and assets are recovered by the anti-graft agency.
The leaders under the aegis of Initiative for Democratic Advancement and Free Speech (IDAFS), in a statement said despite the public outcry by Edo people, some officials of the Obaseki administration are still allegedly fiddling with the resources and assets of the State.
The leaders in a statement signed by the Executive Director of IDAFS, Patrick Osaigbovo (Edo South), Director of Research, Andrew Isewele (Edo Central) and Director of Mobilisation, Kamaru Momoh (Edo North), threatened that they may be forced to lead a protest to the Abuja office of the EFCC to push for their demands.
Arise News reports that on Friday, officials of the EFCC arrested the Accountant-General of Edo State, Julius Anelu, while two others were arrested in connection with N26.6 billion derivation funds allocated to the State.
The commission got interested when 13.6 billion of the money was withdrawn, leaving only N13 billion in the account within one week.
The political leaders said the EFCC should close in on them.
The statement reads, “We have watched with dismay, the inhuman looting that has been going on in Edo for years. We are surprised that the EFCC, for almost eight years, did not lift its fingers to arrest any official of Obaseki’s administration.
“Even with just a few days to go, the looting has not stopped. We are wondering if the EFCC wants the State to go bankrupt before it steps in? We have enough evidence to assist the EFCC in doing its job. This is to show you how much we care about our State, Edo.
“However, we want to put it on notice that if the EFCC fails to act next week and arrest those allegedly involved in the blind stealing, we will not have any option, but to lead a mass protest to the headquarters of the EFCC.
“We are aware that some key officials of the Edo State Government are already relocating with the stolen funds. How does the EFCC plan to handle this. We cannot allow this notorious stealing to go unchallenged.
“Obaseki got over N1.5 trillion as revenues and allocations in eight years. Edo State does not look like it got such funds. So, Obaseki must account for those funds now or later.”
But the Edo Commissioner for Information, Chris Nehikhare, was evasive.
He said, “It is not true. We have nothing to say about that. All we know is that the new government is coming in on November 12.”
Friday Olokor
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