EFCC arrests Ex-Gov Elechi, summons Shema’s aides

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday interrogated the immediate past governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Martin Elechi, over allegations of money laundering, illegal deductions from local government funds, contract inflation and theft.
The former governor, who arrived at the EFCC’s headquarters in Wuse 2 at about 10am yesterday, was quizzed inside the Idiagbon Block of the commission for several hours.
Last week, the commission invited ex-Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State and Elechi for questioning over alleged diversion of public funds.
Lamido will appear at the commission today to answer questions on alleged money laundering.
The allegations against Elechi border on mismanagement of the State/Local Government Joint Account.
Elechi, who ought to appear on June 8, wrote through his counsel that he would be available yesterday which he honoured.
He sent his son, Nnanna, to the EFCC to explain why he could not make it. A source in EFCC gave insights into the two ex-governors’ invitation.
The source said: “We are going to quiz Lamido on allegations relating to money laundering. The EFCC had earlier put one of his sons on trial and secured his conviction.
“We invited three of his children over money laundering allegations too. All the transactions having to do with money laundering traced to some companies where ex-Governor Lamido has interests.
“On Elechi, he is facing a team of interrogators on alleged mismanagement of funds in the State/Local Government Joint Account.
“We have had outstanding allegations against these former governors but they all pleaded immunity. Now that they are out of power, we can interact with them,” he said.
When contacted, the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said: “We have invited the two former governors for interaction and the former governor of Ebonyi State has honoured the invitation, he is still with us.”
Meanwhile, four senior officials of Katsina State government under the immediate past administration of Ibrahim Shema have been summoned by the EFCC over alleged financial misappropriation.
In the invitation letter to the officials, which was signed by Aminudeen Mohammed on behalf of the EFCC chairman, he said the former governor’s aides are to appear before the commission today and tomorrow.
The affected officials are the Accountant-General of the state, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, his Works Ministry counterpart, and General Manager of the Katsina State Road Maintenance Agency, KASROMA.
They are to report with documents detailing financial transactions in their ministries and departments.
The letter said the Accountant-General will appear before the commission today with statutory budgets of the state from 2011 to 2015.
He is also to present details of all allocations made to the 34 local government councils from the Federation Account from 2011 to May 2015, as well as releases of funds to KASROMA, the Ministry of Works, Agriculture and Sports within the period.
The letter stated that the general manager of KASROMA and permanent secretaries of the ministries of works and agriculture are to appear with all contracts awarded, yearly budget and actual expenditure from 2011 to 2015.