By Ogbonna Casmir
The fight against corruption which is the main obsession of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government appears to be yielding result as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said the commission has recovered over two hundred and forty four million, five hundred and seventy four thousand, five hundred and eighty seven, twenty kobo, N244,574,587.20k from those that looted government treasury and other sources in the South East zone.
The anti-graft agency also recovered $130,750 USD from assets forfeited by the looters which sum has been paid into government coffers.
Also recovered includes; $955,465 USD; €10,000 Euro as well as 3,588 Chinese RMB.
Briefing newsmen on the achievements of the Commission in Enugu Zonal Office of EFCC, Wednesday, Zonal Head Operation, Johnson Babalola, said that apart from the monies recovered, EFCC is now on the trails of serving and former governors in the zone with the aim of bringing them to book.
Babalola who said that the cases involving the governors are under intense investigation had this to say: “the zone is equally closing in on some politically exposed persons in cases involving former governors and companies linked to serving governors.”
The EFCC Zonal Head disclosed that the Commission has received in recent time, five hundred and twenty two cases out of which thirty six have been concluded and charged to various courts in the zone for prosecution while it has secured fourteen, (14) convictions.
On cases of public interest other than political matters, Babalola said that the Commission have two chief executive officers of privately owned companies that specialise in collecting monies from unsuspecting customers in the form of thrift or mortgage banking in their custody.
The executives include Chief Patrick Nwokike, CEO ‘Let’s Partner With You’ and Joshua Morah, CEO ‘Borec Services’.
Nwokike is being investigated for collecting over N4 billion from unsuspecting members of the public in return for certain monthly percentage which is discovered to be shrouded in fraud.
Babalola also disclosed that the Commission received over 150 petitions against Chief Nwokiike and that he operated different account and that the N4 billion was discovered in only two of such accounts.
He further disclosed that on further investigation, Nwokike was discovered to have acquired two exotic SUV vehicles, a multi-million naira warehouse as well as three choice mansions at different locations which have been sealed and placed under investigation.
On the part of Joshua Morah of Borec Services, he is alleged to have collected over N9 billion and wired the money to offshore account and is being investigated following over thirty petitions written against him.
Morah was said to have being operating within the Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi States for the illegal business.
He The EFCC boss pointed out that though the Commission had achieved this much, they are not resting on their oars until more successes are achieved for a better future.
Fielding questions from journalists, the Zonal Head said that former governor Chime was still under investigation over the N400 million campaign funds, pointing out that two serving commissioners, Charles Egumgbe, Water Resources and Rita Mba, Special Duties were invited recently and detained by the Commission over the campaign fund.
Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, the Commission said was also under investigation for N400 million PDP 2015 campaign fund stressing that the money was paid through his companies name when he was still deputy governor the state.
He said that he has not received any corruption case against Senator Theodore Orji, former governor of Abia State and challenged anybody that has a case against him to petition the Commission for investigation.
“I don’t have petitions against him, Senator Theodore Orji,” Babalola said.
For Federal Roads in the South East, the EFCC boss said that they have invited the Controller of Works to explain how contracts were awarded with a view to getting at contractors that did shoddy jobs on Federal Roads in the Zone.
