SEC Contract Staff Denied Access To Premises

Contract staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) were on Tuesday in Abuja barred from the commission’s premises.

The 15 affected staff are believed to be those engaged by the Director-General of the Commission, Ms Arunma Oteh, who has been sent on compulsory leave.

A correspondent who visited SEC’s headquarters in Abuja, reports that security was beefed up around the office.

A staff, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that only “confirmed staff” were allowed into the office.

Earlier, a statement signed by  Secretary to the commission Mr Edosa Aigbekaen, said that the board after its 66th meeting held on Monday directed Oteh to proceed on compulsory leave.

The statement said that the compulsory leave was for an independent investigation of SEC’s Project 50 programme.

It said that the Executive Commissioner Operations, Ms Daisy Ekineh,will be the acting director-general.

According to the statement, the board suspended Oteh after considering the report of its audit and finance committees which investigated the sources and uses of funds for the Project 50 event.

The board also directed the Interim President of the Council of Nigerian Stock Exchange to commence the disengagement process.