Skip to main content

EFCC to confiscate Akpabio’s properties over alleged fraud

Godswill Akpabio, Senate Minority Leader and a PDP member

Godswill Akpabio, Senate Minority Leader and a PDP member

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is intensifying investigation on Sen. Godswill Akpabio, the ex-Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

The EFCC is investigating allegations that the former governor embezzled N108bn during his tenure between 2007 and 2015.

The anti-graft agency had already written five banks demanding information on Akwa Ibom State finances under Akpabio’s administration.

Similarly, the EFCC is already making moves to invite the key members of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and serving commissioners, many of whom served during the ex- governor’s administration.

According to an EFCC source, “We have written to Zenith Bank, Keystone Bank, FCMB, Skye Bank, and UBA demanding information on the state’s accounts. We are also inviting the accountant-general, the auditor-general, the Speaker and the Clerk of the House of Assembly. We have traced some houses to the former governor in Lagos and Abuja, and it is just a matter of time before we seize them.”

Akpabio was first quizzed last year by the commission’s detectives following series of petitions written against him.

The former governor, now a Senate Minority Leader, was accused of embezzling public funds while he was governor of the oil-rich state.

Punch reports that Akpabio in March 2013, was accused of giving N1m each to six chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party from the South-South geopolitical zone that had converged on Port Harcourt for a party reconciliation session, telling them to use the money to “buy Mr. Biggs.”

The Akwa Ibom State government a few weeks ago, had gone to a state High Court to get an interim order barring the EFCC from investigating Akpabio’s administration.

The Justice Ntong Ntong-led court on July 15 granted an interim injunction, restraining the EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, and the Inspector General of Police from investigating the finances of the Akwa Ibom State government.

The suit was filed on behalf of the state government by the state Attorney-General, Uwemedimo Nwoko, who also served under Akpabio and is believed to be loyal to the former governor.

However, following motion on notice filed by the EFCC, the court on Friday, vacated the order of interim injunction restraining the EFCC from investigating the accounts of the state.

The judge then adjourned the matter till October 19 for a hearing on the preliminary objection of the EFCC alongside other applications.

In a June 22, 2015, petition to EFCC, an Abuja-based lawyer, and activist, Leo Ekpenyong had accused Akpabio of sheer waste in office.

Among several other allegations, the petitioner alleged that between January and December 2014, the trio of Godswill Akpabio, a former aide to the governor and another associate made illegal but substantial withdrawals of cash from a designated state government-owned account with Zenith Bank with account number 101037588, amounting to N22.1bn.

When contacted on the telephone on Saturday, Akpabio’s spokesman, Mr. Aniete Ekong, said he was in a public place and promised to call back. However, he had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pope not involved in Colombian peace deal- Vatican

Pope Francis Pope Francis has turned down a request to play a role in the peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. The Vatican in a statement issued on Wednesday in in Vatican City said that an invitation was sent to his Holiness in early August to appoint a representative to participate in the committee that selected the judges for the talks. The statement said that though Pope Francis supported the peace process, he, however, reiterated that he would not get involved in Colombian peace deal. It said that Pope was praying for the enlightenment of the hearts and minds of those who were called to promote the common good of the Colombian nation. A deal was announced last week, putting an end to five decades of internal conflict between government forces and the FARC rebels. The agreement, which needed to be ratified through a referendum in Oct. 2, would entail setting up a special court to grant amnesties or pu...
Post a Comment
Read more

Houthis Claim Attack on Central Israel in Response to Gaza ‘Massacres’

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has taken a concerning regional turn as the Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for an attack on central Israel. The group announced this as part of their escalating response to what they describe as "massacres" in Gaza amid the Israeli military’s operations in the strip. Details of the Attack The Houthis, a Shiite militant group with ties to Iran, declared that they launched missile and drone strikes targeting Israel. While the exact impact of these attacks remains unclear, reports suggest that Israel’s defense systems intercepted several threats over its airspace. This marks a significant escalation as the Houthis widen their involvement in the conflict beyond their typical operations within Yemen and neighboring Saudi Arabia. The Houthis’ Justification In their statement, the Houthis framed the attack as retaliation for Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which they characterized as indiscriminate bombings resultin...
Post a Comment
Read more

Fall of Assad is a Blow to Russia's Prestige

The potential fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing ally of Russia, would mark a turning point in Moscow’s global influence, particularly in the Middle East. Steve Rosenberg’s analysis underscores the profound implications for Russia, which has invested heavily—both militarily and politically—in ensuring Assad’s survival over the past decade. This article delves into why Assad’s downfall would strike at the core of Russian prestige and what it could mean for the broader geopolitical landscape. Russia's Strategic Commitment to Syria Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Russia has been a staunch supporter of Assad's regime. In 2015, Moscow launched a military intervention that proved decisive in stabilizing Assad’s hold on power. This intervention solidified Russia's role as a key power broker in the Middle East and demonstrated its willingness to project military power far beyond its borders. Syria is not just an ally for Russia; it is a...
Post a Comment
Read more