Even as the Imo State Government under the leadership of Owelle Rochas Okorocha has continued to plead to the Economic Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, to arrest his predecessor over yet to be confirmed allegations of fraud, operatives of the anti-graft body have sustained their investigation against some present key government functionaries suspected to be involved in financial irregularities said to have been committed since this administration came into power two years.
It would be recalled that after several invitations and visits to Imo, two prominent functionaries, Deacon Chike Okafor and George Eche, Commissioner for Finance and Accountant General ofImoStatewere arrested and detained at the EFCC headquarters,Abuja, two weeks ago. Their arrests warranted spontaneous reactions from the state government who not only instituted a probe panel but also publicly accused the former Governor, Ikedi Ohakim of defrauding the state to the tune of N62bn state.
Despite Okorocha’s spirited efforts to get Okorocha arrested and while the Good Governance team from the Federal Government led by Minister for Information, Labaran Maku was in Owerri, some key playmakers and crucial office holders in the present government are on the wanted list of EFCC as operatives fromAbujaare in the Imo state to continue their investigations. Apart from few heads of some strategic government agencies that may have explanations to make, the state legislature at the moment is at the receiving end of the searchlight.
Before the close of work on Tuesday, some principal officers of the Imo State House of Assembly were being hunted. In the absence of the Speaker, Rt Hon Ben Uwajumogu and Deputy, Pharm Donatus Ozoemenam, the Clerk of the Assembly was apprehended by the EFCC. After brief interrogation and intervention from the State Government House quarters who promised to bring the Clerk, Barr Chris Duru when requested, the anti graft body let him free.
However, Duru returned yesterday to be the guest of the EFCC men who re-arrested and brought him to the Assembly Complex. Our reporter at the Assembly complex observed the presence of the operatives who combed some of the offices. The EFCC men were said to be after other suspects whose identities could not be ascertained as at the time of going to press even as unconfirmed reports indicated that they were after the Speaker and the Deputy who were not available before the whisked away the Clerk. The picking and questioning of the Clerk of the House has sent jitters down the spines of the leadership of the State Assembly as principal officers and top management staff have gone into hiding to evade arrest.
Apart from the absence of the Speaker who was reported to have traveled outside the country days before the arrival of EFCC, the whereabouts of the Deputy Speaker are unknown as non of his aides was willing to speak on the matter. The Assembly complex turned to a ghost yard with little or no activity as some workers have joined their bosses to go underground to avoid complications.
When contacted on phone for reaction, the Special Adviser to the Speaker on Media, Samuelson Iwuoha denied knowledge of development adding that EFCC is not after the Speaker for any
