Uneasy calm and tension are said to be pervading Imo Government House, Owerri, over the reported disappearance of a huge sum of money running into several millions of naira allegedly carted away by one of the security operatives in one of the offices.
Trumpeta learnt that a security official in one of the conventional government recognized uniformed agencies allegedly took advantage of the porous nature of the Safe Box to disappear with the said huge sum running into about N37. (Thirty Seven Million Naira)
The office where the money was said to have grown wings is alleged to belong to a highly placed government office holder whose position is crucial to the present administration, with several responsibilities as the person executes certain functions assigned to the office for smooth running of the state government.
The said security officer from one of the South-South States (name withheld) was posted to Government House during the Chief Ikedi Ohakim government. At a time, he was an orderly to a former aide to Ohakim, Chief Chikwem Onuoha until his service was retained by the present government.
Because of the number of years the security officer had put and considering the confidence placed on him by the officer, there was no suspicion to his movements and continued stay in the said office.
It was learnt that the inability to fix the key to the money safe-box in the office may have tempted the security operative to allegedly steal the millions from the highly revered office. Another factor that necessitated the criminal act was the reported in-fighting, and war of superiority among security agencies in the Government House.
Though, the concerned office where the money missed is making spirited efforts to conceal the sad incident from public knowledge, Trumpeta gathered that the centre cannot hold again in Douglas House as security operatives have turned suspects.
This newspaper further gathered that the identity of the suspect (names withheld) who is still on the run, was unmasked the following day after the night incident, through the aid of a Circuit Monitor Camera mounted at the office complex. The monitor which was down-loaded showed how the suspect carted away the millions of naira said to be stuffed into Ghana-Must-Go bags.
The where-about of the suspect is still unknown as at the time of going to press, but it was learnt that the wife also said to be of the same security outfit with the husband was interrogated in respect with the matter.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Imo command, (PPRO) Joy Elomoko SP denied knowledge of the missing millions stating that “the command is not aware of such incident”
Further investigation discovered that serious manhunt has begun for possible ways of picking the suspect even as the concerned office where the millions were taken away is conscious to keep it close to their chests to avoid associated scandals and public uproar.
Repeated calls to the Media Aide of the office where the incident happened was not acknowledged.
Latest information reaching Trumpeta has it that the quizzed wife of the absconded security operative has been released after interrogation.
