Obaseki must account for N1.5trn revenues, allocations in eight years- Edo leaders

●Mount pressure on EFCC to recover State’s stolen assets, funds
● Edo Govt explains anti-graft agency’s invitation

Ahead of the inauguration of Senator Monday Okpebholo-led Government in Edo, political leaders and other critical stakeholders from the State, have called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to investigate those who have allegedly stolen the state’s funds and other assets.

Th leaders want the outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki to account for over N1.5 trillion that the State got in the last eight years through Federal allocations, generated revenues, loans, grants and others.

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The leaders said the EFCC must move fast and not wait until Obaseki leaves office before stolen funds and assets are recovered by the anti-graft agency.

A pro-democracy group, Initiative for Democratic Advancement and Free Speech, which articulated the position of the leaders said despite the public outcry by Edo people, some officials of the Obaseki administration were still allegedly fiddling with the State’s resources and assets.

Executive Director of the organisation, Patrick Osaigbovo, who hails from Edo South, Director of Research; Andrew Isewele from Edo Central; and Kamaru Momoh, Director of Mobilisation from Edo North, threatened that they might be forced to lead a protest to the Abuja office of the EFCC if it did not act.

On Friday, officials of the EFCC arrested a close ally of Obaseki, the State Accountant-General, Julius Anelu.

Three other officials of the State were invited by the anti-graft agency in connection with loans and agricultural interventions granted to Edo State Government by CBN and NIRSAL from 2018 to date.

Although EFCC did not mention the amount in its letter of invitation to the four officials through the SSG dated October 28, 2024, the group said N26.6 billion derivation funds allocated to the State was an area of interest.

The four top officials of the Edo State Government were “arrested” by the Edo State Command of the EFCC in Benin on Friday, Nov 1, 2024.

The Commission got interested when 13.6 billion of the money was reportedly withdrawn, leaving only N13 billion in the account within one week.

Edo leaders in the statement noted: “We have watched with dismay, the inhuman looting that has been going on in Edo for years. We are surprised that the EFCC, for almost eight years, did not lift its fingers to arrest any official of Obaseki’s administration.

“Even with just a few days to go, the looting has not stopped. We are wondering if the EFCC wants the State to go bankrupt before it steps in? We have enough evidence to assist the EFCC in doing its job. This is to show you how much we care about our State, Edo.

“However, we want to put it on notice that if the EFCC fails to act next week and arrest those allegedly involved in the blind stealing, we will not have any option, but to lead a mass protest to the headquarters of the EFCC.

“We are aware that some key officials of the Edo State Government are already relocating with the stolen funds. How does the EFCC plan to handle this. We can not allow this notorious stealing to go unchallenged.

“Obaseki got over N1.5 trillion as revenues and allocations in eight years. Edo State does not look like it got such funds. So, Obaseki must account for those funds now or later.”

Meanwhile, competent sources hinted that senior EFCC officials have moved into Edo State and may arrest more senior officials of the Obaseki administration in the coming days.

Edo Commissioner for Information, Chris Nehikhare‎, was initially quoted to have said: “It is not true. We have nothing to say about that. All we know is that the new government is coming in on November 12.”

He later issued a statement to contextualise the EFCC invitation.

The statement reads in extenso:

Edo Accountant General, four others invited by EFCC over already repaid loan facility, officers detained to cripple govt, governance

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a letter dated October 28, 2024, invited four officials from the Edo State Treasury Office, including the Accountant General, Julius Anelu, to its Benin Office.

The letter of invitation, addressed to the Secretary to the State Government and titled “Loans and Agricultural Interventions Granted to Edo State Government from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) from 2018 to date,” pertains to an agricultural facility that has since been repaid by the State Government.

The government officers, including the State Accountant on Thursday, honoured the invitation as requested at the Benin Office of the EFCC to provide necessary answers as required by the EFCC.

However, upon realizing that one of the invited officials was no longer a signatory to the government account, the EFCC released the officer and requested for the current signatory, whose name was not initially on the invitation letter. The said officer is now also being detained by the agency at Abuja , in addition to the others who were originally invited and honoured the invitation.

The EFCC seems intent on crippling governance in Edo State and acting out a script that portends grave danger to democracy. The reason for the invitation of these civil servants is clear, contrary to the invitation letter is to keep them in EFCC custody till November 12, on the day of the termination of the tenure of this government.

In fact, from Monday, government would have been grounded and will no longer be able to meet up with basic responsibilities and obligations.

This devious action is most condemnable and reprehensible and we urge the EFCC to act responsibly in the interest of democracy, justice, peace and the wellbeing of Edo people and immediately release these government officials, and not throw Edo State into chaos.

Edo State Government led by Governor Godwin Obaseki runs a transparent and accountable Government. This Government runs until November 12th, 2024. Unconstitutional actions should not be done to hinder its operations.

Signed

Chris Osa Nehikhare
HC Communication&Orientation