EFCC Detains Ekweremadu Over Fraud Charges …Targets Ortom Over Alleged N20bn Laundering

The Deputy Senate President, Dr Ike Ekweremadu who allegedly came to the office ofthe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), yesterday morning by 10am, is currently answering questions on corruption and abuse of office.
Our correspondent had confirmed through various sources the authenticity of the lawmaker’s appearance at EFCC’s office and had confirmed the hours spent by the lawmaker.
Ekweremadu, yesterday said that he depends on God who has always been with him and will continue to be there for him inspite of any ordeal he may be going through in the hands of the government of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Ekweremadu has however assured his supporters that his current travails in the hands of the federal government would end in praise. According to the deputy Senate President, he has absolute faith in God as he had done nothing wrong to warrant the continued harassment by the security agencies and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Ekweremadu spoke yesterday when the Archbishop of Enugu Province, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, led a delegation of clergies of Enugu Diocese of the Church on a solidarity visit to his Enugu residence Sunday evening.
In a statement by his Special Adviser, Media, Uche Anichukwu, Ekweremadu said: “When people say they are not sure there is God, I say, ‘Come, let me tell you my story; when I finish my story, you will know whether there is God or not’. My story is one of those that establish actually that there is God.
So, what you are seeing now will also pass because there is no battle that God cannot fight for me.
“There have been several attempts to remove me as the Deputy President of the Senate, but, I am not worried because it is God that gives power and it is only Him that can take it.
Ekweremadu who recalled that he had never been in a position to manage public finances or award contracts all through his political career, said, “I have been a town union president, Chairman of a local government, Chief of Staff and Secretary to the State Government, Senator since 2003, Vice Chairmen and Chairman of several committees, Deputy President of the Senate since 2007, and I have been Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament before I became the Speaker. Today, I am a Member of the Global Parliament for Tolerance and Peace. In all of these, I have never managed government resources or finances or being in a position to give contracts or receive contracts.
“When I was local government chairman, I allowed the Secretary of the Council to run the affairs when it comes to giving contracts. When I was Secretary to the Enugu State Government, I refused to be part of the tenders board because of things like these.
“When I became the Deputy President of the Senate in 2007, there was something they used to call the Body of Principal Officers that awarded contracts. I told the President of the Senate that we had to stop it and let the National Assembly Management deal with contracts, and that if it was to continue, I was not going to part of it.
He saw my point and agreed with me. “All the oil and election probes they have done in Nigeria, nobody can mention my name.
The money they pay me for my services has always been enough for me. If you have any proof that I stole government money, I challenge you to come out and say it. I have never ever even been in a position to do that. “So, when Justice Innocent Umezulike and his cohorts wrote a petition to the EFCC that I was given money to go and develop the South East zone and I used it to buy 32 properties, I laughed at them because nobody gives you money to go and develop your house let alone developing a zone. Nobody has ever given me money to do any contract.
Ekweremadu who noted that he had no personal quarrel with anyone, wondering why the desperation to annihilate him politically, said, “In all my statements, my position on things that have happened in Nigeria, I have always meant the best for Nigeria. I have never for once, personally attacked anybody, including the President.
“I have been worried about the security situation and the injustice that is accompanying the programmes of the government. Those are the issues I have always addressed and I have tried to be as objective as possible. “So, why the government or its agencies or the party that is in power feels that I am a threat is what I don’t understand. For as long as you are in government, you are supposed to be democratic.
“I don’t have one personal problem with anybody, but because of my position on some of these things, people have tried to kill me. About 2015, there was an assassination attempt on my life and up till now, nobody has investigated that matter.”
Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday said over N20bn Benue State funds have been laundered under the watch of Governor Samuel Ortom.
Top EFCC investigators who spoke to The Tide source said the discoveries were made following intelligence reports about the suspicious transactions.
Investigators said they discovered about N20bn were withdrawn from four bank accounts operated by the Benue State government from June 2015 to March 2018.
The EFCC said the funds were laundered through several N10m withdrawals within two days after the accounts received money from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC).
Investigators said two of the bank accounts being investigated were opened as ‘Benue State Government House Account’ respectively.
The accounts were said to have received over N1.9bn between June 2015 and March 2018. The EFCC said records show that three Benue State government officials – Emmanuel Aorga, Patrick Abah and Ochaja Peter – made several withdrawals depleting the bank accounts.
It was said Aorga made a total withdrawal of N369, 728,950; Abah N130, 199,386 and Peter, N704, 041,000.
Two accounts opened as ‘Bureau for Internal Affairs and Special Services Accounts’ between 2015 and 2018 received N19, 468,951,590.00 from FAAC.
The EFCC said all the money was withdrawn in cash of N10m cheques by one Oliver Mtom, a Benue State government official.
They said sometimes several withdrawals were made in one day to the tune of N500m, N300m and N200m.
It noted that the withdrawals were done monthly immediately after the accounts were credited by the FAAC.
EFCC said cashiers and accountants invited and interrogated disclosed that the monies were taken to their respective permanent secretaries. It noted that two permanent secretaries were questioned over the funds.
Permanent Secretary Gabriel Iangba was questioned over the two bank accounts under the name ‘Benue State Government House Account.’ Iangba was said to have told EFCC operatives that the funds were spent on the governor’s security, government house expenses, governors travels, landscaping and kitchen.
It added that Permanent Secretary Boniface Nyaakor was interrogated over the operation of the two accounts opened as ‘Bureau for Internal Affairs and Special Services Accounts.’
The EFCC said Nyaakor stated that the funds were disbursed to six Federal Government security agencies in Benue State.
He said the monies were randomly distributed to the security agencies with the largest amount disbursed at any given time not exceeding N10m.
The EFCC said Nyaakor would raise a blank memo on the distribution of the funds to the security agencies.
The EFCC noted that after the distribution, the governor would then destroy the memo, leaving no records of how the monies have been disbursed, which is against transparency.
The EFCC said it is also investigating the diversion of about N275m meant for purchase of 30 Prado Jeeps as official vehicles for members of the Benue State House of Assembly. It said the cars were supposed to have been purchased and distributed to the members at N12.9m each.
The EFCC said it was discovered that only eight vehicles were supplied by the contractor while N275m was diverted and laundered through the House of Assembly.
The EFCC said N244m was recovered from several members of the House of Assembly in a case that is still being investigated by the Commission.
It said four members have refused to pay back the money in an investigation that has spanned over two years.
Investigators said the members have been reporting at the EFCC head office since 2006.
The EFCC said the lawmakers and the contractor have a case to answer.
Ortom attacked for quitting APC – Aide
When contacted, Ortom’s media aide Terver Akase dismissed as false the allegations that monies have been diverted in the state.
He said the Benue State government does not have such funds to divert while struggling to pay salaries and contractors.
He said the books are open at any time, noting that anti-graft agencies should be fair and treat everybody with equity.
He said Governor Ortom’s hands are clean, and the EFCC is free to investigate all allegations.
Akase added that the governor is being attacked just because he defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that a lot of allegations are cropping up to make him look bad before the world.
He said the fact that someone is accused, or being investigated, does not mean the person is guilty. Daily Trust reports that the EFCC had in the past probed sitting governors which culminated in their controversial impeachments.
Based on investigations by the EFCC, Joshua Dariye was removed as governor of Plateau State in November 2006.
His impeachment was later nullified by the Appeal Court in March 2007.
Also, a former Governor of Bayelsa State Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was impeached in December 2005 after allegations of corruption and an investigation by the EFCC. Alamieyeseigha, like Dariye, was also then at loggerheads with the then President, Olusegun Obasanjo.
Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose was also probed by the EFCC and impeached in October 2006.