Edo State commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Chris Nehikhare has alleged that the invitation and detention of the Accountant General, four others by EFCC over already repaid loan facility, was a ploy to cripple government and governance in the state.
In fact, from Monday, the government would have been grounded and will no longer be able to meet up with basic responsibilities and obligations, Nehikhare said in a statement he issued in Benin on Saturday.
He described the ant-graft Agency’s action as devious, most condemnable and reprehensible, “and we urge the EFCC to act responsibly in the interest of democracy, justice, peace and the wellbeing of Edo people and immediately release these government officials, and not throw Edo State into chaos.”
Nehikhare said that Edo State Government led by Governor Godwin Obaseki runs a transparent and accountable Government.
“This Government runs until November 12th, 2024. Unconstituitional actions should not be done to hinder its operations.”
In the statement, Nehikhare noted: “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a letter dated October 28, 2024, invited four officials from the Edo State Treasury Office, including the Accountant General, Julius Anelu, to its Benin Office.
“The letter of invitation, addressed to the Secretary to the State Government and titled ‘Loans and Agricultural Interventions Granted to Edo State Government from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) from 2018 to date,’ pertains to an agricultural facility that has since been repaid by the State Government.
“The government officers, including the State Accountant on Thursday, honoured the invitation as requested at the Benin Office of the EFCC to provide necessary answers as required by the EFCC.
“However, upon realizing that one of the invited officials was no longer a signatory to the government account, the EFCC released the officer and requested for the current signatory, whose name was not initially on the invitation letter.
“The said officer is now also being detained by the agency at Abuja, in addition to the others who were originally invited and honoured the invitation.”
“The EFCC seems intent on crippling governance in Edo State and acting out a script that portends grave danger to democracy. The reason for the invitation of these civil servants is clear, contrary to the invitation letter is to keep them in EFCC custody till November 12, on the day of the termination of the tenure of this government.”
A source close to EFCC told Saturday Tribune on Friday that the commission had been investigating the Obaseki’s government “long before now.”
He said: “But, about two weeks ago, the state government collected N24.6billion as derivation fund. You can’t believe that between last week and this week, they have drawn that money down to N14billion.
“They’ve spent over N10billion. Those officials are in custody to save the coffers of that state,” the EFCC source said.
Saturday Tribune gathered that the move was to stop the outgoing government of Governor Godwin Obaseki from having access to the balance in the accounts of the state government till the handover of power on November 12 to the in-coming administration of Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), winner of the September 21, 2024, governorship election in the state.
Sources within the EFCC and the office of the Accountant General of Edo State, who pleaded anonymity, disclosed that three Edo State government officials among whom was the Accountant General, Julius Anelu, were picked up on Thursday evening and taken to the Benin office of the anti-graft agency.
The arrested government officials were said to have been invited for a briefing and were subsequently detained.
With the arrest, the source disclosed that government activities had been halted in the state, as the state government would not be able to access any government funds as the signatories to various government accounts were affected by the arrest.
The state government, the sources added, would not be able to pay emoluments due to civil servants, pensioners and other public servants. Other statutory payments such as security bills and other obligations are also affected.
Saturday Tribune also gathered that the arrested officials might be kept in custody till November 12, the day of the termination of the tenure of the outgoing government.
When contacted for confirmation, EFCC spokesman in Edo State, Williams Oseghale, simply directed our reporter to the Commission’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale.
When contacted on the telephone, Oyewale replied through a Short Messaging Service (SMS), asking our correspondent to send a text message.
Saturday Tribune sent messages to both Oyewale’s WhatsApp numbers and his regular phone SMS platform for confirmation of the information.
As of the time of filling this report, Oyewale was yet to respond.
