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Police Recruitment Starts Soon – PSC Chair, Smith; Decries Proliferation Of Investigative Units |The Source

By
Ayodele Oni
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Police Service Commission
Police Service Commission

By Ayodele Oni

Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Alhaji Musiliu Smith says recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, will soon begin.

Smith, also, called for synergy between the PSC and the NPF in the interest of the nation.

Alhaji Smith spoke when he received in audience the Acting Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali and some senior officers of the Force in Abuja.

A statement by the spokesman of the Commission, Mr Ikechukwu Ani, said the Chairman reiterated the need for the two Federal concerns to work together to solve the nation’s security challenges.

Alhaji Smith, who prayed for a successful tenure for the Acting Inspector General of Police, assured him of the Commission’s guidance and support but noted that the IGP should listen to, and carry his Management team along in the discharge of his duties.

“You should encourage and benefit from team work with your management team; let them be free to advise you; listen to them,” adding that members of the management team should not be afraid to advise him but should also not mislead him.

“Be truthful to the IGP, give him his due respect and the Nigeria Police will make a lot of progress.”

Alhaji Smith announced that recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force would soon begin after issues relating to the exercise are resolved in the interest of the Commission, the NPF, and in the greater interest of the nation.

He decried the proliferation of investigative units in the Nigeria Police Force and demanded that the Acting IGP quickly look into it to save the Police Force of the huge embarrassments these units bring to the force.

According to him, there must be proper monitoring of Police investigative units to stem the atrocities its officials commit in the line of duty, stressing the need to quickly treat cases of misconduct by these Officers.

“It is this set of Officers that have continued to damage the image of the Force and you should quickly get these bad eggs out of the Force.

“You should also ensure sanity among the ranks and file and even the officers.”

The PSC Chairman charged the new police boss to give  training a priority and build strong intelligence base so as to detect and control crime.

He called for the revival of the Police Detective College in Enugu so that it will provide the required platform for training in intelligence gathering.

The  IGP urged the Commission to go beyond recruitment and promotion and assert its authority to make the Nigeria Police Force better.

He noted that the Commission should go ahead to produce the Police Force the nation needs using the reward and punishment  procedure, adding that the area of discipline has been neglected in the Force.

Alkali said the Force would be happy to work with products of the Commission’s recruitment and said the 35 Police training schools in the country should be made to be busy with all year programmes.

Banks Groan Under N8trn CRR

By
Bayo Bernard
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By Fola James

The managing director of Sterling Bank Plc, Abubakar Suleiman stuck his neck out, last October when he criticized the CBN for squeezing commercial banks profitability with the continuous increase of the Cash Reserve Requirement, CRR. According to him, the banks will find ways out of the problem, but that the cash available to them has been significantly reduced.

The apex bank imposed the CRR after the banks failed to comply with the Loan to Deposit Ratio, LDR which required Deposit Money Banks, DMBs to maintain a minimum 60 percent of their customers’ deposit for economic development.

Suleiman spoke after the apex bank sequestered the new generation bank N8 billion of its customers’ deposit as punishment for violating the regulatory instrument, an action that obviously did not go down well with the Sterling Bank chief executive at the time, who despite the decision of other commercial banks CEOs to remain cautious on the issue, spoke out to condemn the excessive use of the instrument by the Godwin-Emefiele government bank.

Suleiman criticized the CBN for using the CRR to limit banks’ profit margin because “Beyond the fact that it represents a significant accumulation of liquidity that has not yet been deployed, which means that the banks increasingly have access to liquidity if they ever need it, it would be a squeeze on profitability to the extent that what goes into CRR cannot go into treasury bills or bond,” he said.

In the month under review, the CBN debited erring banks  over N1.4 trillion as Zenith Bank Plc, UBA, and Access Plc, topping the list with a total deduction of (N290bn), Plc (N160b), and (N140bn) respectively, deducted from their account.

Other banks affected in the CRR deduction include FBN (N95bn), GTB (N55bn), Polaris (N30bn), Keystone (N30bn), Standard Chartered Bank (N24bn), Fidelity (N15bn), FCMB (N11bn), Ecobank (N11bn), Stanbic (N10bn), WEMA (N10bn), Coronation (N3.9bn), Sterling (N8bn), Citi (N6bn), Union (N5bn), Providus (N5bn), RMB (N5bn), FSDH (N1.5bn), NOVA (N1bn) Globus (N3bn) and Unity Bank (N7bn).

The regulator earlier on October 9, 2020, debited banks of CRR worth N462.7 billion for breach of its lending policy.

Emefiele justifies the CRR thus “We give them incentives that when they lend to the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES), and private sectors, they will be granted certain dispensations to make them happy while failure to comply will result into taking 50 percent of the un-lent portion of their loans into the CRR.”

Over N5 trillion was deducted directly from erring commercial banks accounts in 2019, but the figure has risen significantly to over N8 trillion in the 2020 financial year, an over 59 per cent increase compared to 2019. Deposit Money Bank, DMBs are therefore, not finding this funny at all, considering that they could face more sanctions from the regulatory authority this year, as their appetite to invest in treasury bills to maximize profit is likely to grow, particularly after the COVID 19 headwind that disrupted banking operations last year.

More banks are talking. For instance, Guarantee Trust Bank, GTB said the bank could have made use of the N565 billion deducted from its account by the CBN to earn more money but, “CRR increase of 127.4% (₦565.1bn), funded through improved Naira liquidity largely from OMO maturities impaired the Group’s ability to take maximum advantage of opportunities to optimize its earnings potential.

In spite of the sanctions the Segun Agbaje-led bank said it appropriated other means ‘to cushion the impact of CRR on earnings through optimization of its US$ liquidity and Revaluation Gains,” which amount to US$1.15bn following the devaluation of Naira against US$.”

According to Zenith Bank Plc, the CRR “coupled with the low-interest yield environment helped reduce our cost of funding from 3.0% to 2.1% and also reduced our interest expense. However, the low-interest environment also affected net interest margin, which declined from 8.2% to 7.9% in the current year due to the re-pricing of interest-bearing assets.”

In January this year, the CBN hit commercial banks with N600 billion debit after complaining of excess cash in the interbank money market, IMM to the tune of over N1 trillion within the first few weeks of the new year, which the apex bank blamed on the increase of inflow of treasury bills also known as Open Market Operations, OMO by banks.

Banks’ demand for treasury bills within the first month of the year rose to close to N700 billion even though the apex bank was only ready to sell bills worth N60 billion, forcing the regulator to implement two Cash Reserve Ratio, CRR debits of N600 billion in two tranches of N400 billion and N200 billion.

The apex bank, had in 2020, increased the CRR to 27. 5 percent from 22.5 percent after complaints that commercial banks in the country were using their idle cash for forex round tripping, rather than lending funds to the real sector of the economy. Keen analysts in the sector insist that it will be difficult for DMBs to deny the allegations, adding that the regulator is using the instrument to control the nation’s rising inflation.

Meanwhile, critics of the Emefiele-led bank said the ‘seized’ cash is being used by the CBN to fund federal government budget deficit.

Possession Of Govt Vehicles: I Am Waiting For Police – Ondo Former Deputy Governor, Ajayi |The Source

By
Ayodele Oni
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Agboola Ajayi

By Ayodele Oni

Immediate past Ondo State Deputy Governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi, has said that he is still waiting for Police invitation over allegation that he was still holding on to some government vehicles, two months after the expiration of his tenure.

The ex number two citizen of the State also confirmed that he is in possession of two official vehicles and not four as claimed by an Aide to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

The State Government had, on Tuesday, announced that it has written a petition to the State Police Command to assist in retrieving four Government vehicles still in the possession of the former Deputy Governor.

The vehicles are: Land Cruiser SUV, New Toyota Hilux, New Toyota Hilux and Toyota Hilux.

But in a statement,  the Media aide to the ex Deputy Governor, Allen Sowore, explained that all vehicles in his care had been returned since February 23rd, the day his tenure ended, except two vehicles- a Land Cruiser and a Hilux Jeep.

Agboola stated that he is entitled to those two vehicles just like other former Deputy Governors in the State.

According to the statement, one of the vehicles being demanded was at a mechanic workshop at Okitipupa, while the other was still with the dealer because full payment has not been made.

“The former Deputy Governor has joined senior citizens in this state. He should be accorded such respect.

“On February 23rd when his tenure ended, civil servants came and collected all government vehicles except a Land Cruiser and Hilux jeep which are part of his statutory benefits.

“He is to go home with those two vehicles.

“He is not holding onto any government vehicle. All other former Deputy Governors in this state are using government vehicles.

“Nobody should because of politics use indecent language on the former Deputy Governor.

“Let the police invite him. He will explain himself. He is not afraid. One of the other two vehicles had accident. It is at Okitipupa, while the dealer is yet to deliver the second one.”

On Tuesday, April 14, Governor Akeredolu was quoted as saying that he would embarrass the former Deputy Governor over the vehicles if he fails to return them.

There is no love lost between the two Ondo sons.

Why Twitter Shunned Nigeria – PDP |The Source

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Twitter Logo

By Adesina Soyooye

Nigeria’s main opposition political party, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has lamented the choice by Twitter to locate its African Headquarters in Ghana, instead of Nigeria.

Most Nigerians were, at  once, shocked and aghast, when Twitter’s founder, Jack Dorsey announced on Monday that his company’s African  Headquarters would be located in Ghana.

Considering the population of Nigeria, and the number of Nigerians who subscribed to Twitter, not a few people think it is a snub on Nigeria and a vote of confidence on Ghana by Twitter. They, also.  think it is a thumbs down on Nigeria, a country which is not only the most populous black country, but which, also, claims to be Africa’s largest economy. “It is a shame. It is a vote of confidence on Ghana’s economy and infrastructure, and security”, an industrialist told this magazine.

About 39.6 million Nigerians, a number larger than Ghana’s population are subscribed to Twitter. But the country’s infrastructure deficit, and the worsening insecurity, do not recommend it to any serious   international investor.

The PDP agrees with these opinions, and blame the  President Muhammadu Buhari Government for the snub.

In a statement by the Party, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said it was ashamed of what Nigeria has been reduced to under the APC and President Buhari.

Said the PDP, “Indeed the decision by Twitter to bypass  Nigeria to locate its African Operational base in Ghana is another sad commentary of how our Nation, which was hitherto a global investment hub under the PDP, has now been so degraded in global economic competitiveness under the APC.”

Following is the full text of PDP’s statement entitled:

Buhari, APC’s Misrule Pushed Twitter to Locate African HQ In Ghana Instead of Nigeria, Says PDP

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) laments that the unabating misrule of the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) pushed Twitter to take its African Headquarters to Ghana instead of Nigeria, despite the fact that Nigeria has far more twitter traffic and more business prospects than Ghana.

“The PDP says Twitter’s preference for Ghana over Nigeria was occasioned by inconsistent economic policies, obnoxious suppression of free speech, stifling of online freedom and open internet by the Buhari administration and the APC.

“This is in addition  to infrastructural decay, massive corruption and manifest failure of the Buhari Presidency and the APC to address the escalated insecurity brought upon our nation by their incompetent watch.

“Indeed the decision by Twitter to by-pass Nigeria to locate its African operational base in Ghana is another sad commentary of how our nation, which was hitherto a global investment hub under the PDP, has now been so degraded in global economic competitiveness under the APC.

“Nigerians were heavily despaired on Monday when the founder of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, announced that his company will be setting up its headquarters on the continent in Ghana despite Nigeria’s domineering twitter traffic in the sub region.

“With an estimated 39.6 million twitter subscribers in Nigeria, which is bigger than the population of Ghana, Nigeria ought to be the destination, but for the anti-people policies of the APC administration.

“It is sad that our nation has continued to lose huge foreign direct investments, which would have brought in more economic opportunities, especially for our youths, just because the Buhari Presidency and the APC lack the capacity to deliver on good governance.

“The preference by Twitter for Ghana over Nigeria has further demonstrated that the Buhari administration’s claims on ease of doing business in Nigeria are mere media hypes.

“Moreover, if President Buhari and the APC have the interest of the struggling youth demography of our nation at heart, they ought to have taken the necessary proactive steps to ensure that Twitter brought this huge investment to Nigeria, particularly given that we have the highest number of Twitter users on the continent.

“It is indeed disturbing that the Buhari administration is taking no decisive steps to address the worsening situation in our country, which has become the world poverty capital under their watch.

“The incompetence, insensitivity, corruption and laid-back attitude of the Buhari administration have continued to bring woes to our nation with an escalated 33% unemployment rate, closure of over 40 million hitherto vibrant businesses with millions of families now unable to afford the basic necessities of life.

“It is painful that despite our national potentials, President Buhari administration has not shown the required commitment of engaging foreign investors and captains of industries to attract investments as being done by Presidents of other countries.

“Instead the Buhari Presidency is only interested in accumulating foreign loans and mortgaging the future of our nation.

“It has therefore becomes clearer that our nation cannot achieve any headway with the APC on the saddle.

“The PDP therefore charges Nigerians to remain focused as we collectively rally on the opportunities granted by democracy to rescue our nation from the stranglehold of APC misrule.”

In the recent past months, a couple of companies have left Nigeria. A couple of weeks ago, Shoprite, a South African Group said it has concluded plans to divest its shares in Nigeria.

Umahi Says IPOB/ESN Operatives Are Bandits, Criminals |The Source

By
The Source
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0

By Charles Igbo

From Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, comes a statement that is likely to worsen the tension in the State.

Appearing on a Channel’s Television Programme on Wednesday, Umahi described members of the Eastern Security Network, an outfit set up by the Mazi Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous Peoples Of Biafra, IPOB, as bandits. He also called them evil and criminals. He also called IPOB a criminal organisation.

Umahi’s categorization of the group comes when tension is very high in the South-east zone, especially in Ebonyi State, where whole communities had been sacked and dozens killed in raids, allegedly, carried out by suspected herdsmen.

But in the most recent attack  on Ngbo Community, the Ebonyi State Government exonerated rogue Fulani herdsmen from  the attack, saying it was a product of clashes over boundaries between communities.

However, on Wednesday, as if putting a lie to the claim of the Ebonyi Government which exonerated the herdsmen, IPOB/ESN released a photograph of a dead body, claiming it is the body of one of the herdsmen killed during the attack on Ngbo.

But speaking on Channel TV’s Sunrise Daily, Umahi accused  IPOB and ESN operatives of hiding in forests, perpetrating evil against the people from there, and turning round to deny it had any hand in such evils.

The Governor said such illegality will no longer be tolerated in the South East by Governors. They would not be allowed to take laws into their hands, Umahi emphasised.

Umahi: “We won’t allow people to take laws into their hands by killing  cows and killing people. I have to tell you that herders/farmers  conflicts are not the only security challenges we have in South-east. We have the issue of kidnapping.

“And of late, we have bandits that are now doing a lot of crime and say they are IPOB, and later, IPOB will come out  and say we had no hand in that.”

Kanu had, in December, 2020, founded the ESN to, according to him, deal with killer herdsmen and group general insecurity in the South-east, recruiting hundreds of youths, especially, the unemployed, as members.

On Sunday, April 11, the South-east Governors who had all along dilly-dallied over the establishment of a unitary security outfit for the Zone, just like their South-west counterparts who established Amotekun met in Owerri, and established Ebube Agu

The outfit has not yet been backed by law, but it already has a credibility deficit from a cross section of the Igbo who see its establishment as late, untidy, and meant to work against the ESN.

IPOB has already warned that it will not allow any other security outfit to operate in the Zone, except ESN. And for the avoidance of doubt, it has warned that any youth who registers with Ebube Agu, which Headquarters is in Enugu,  should be prepared to meet his ancestors.

The Federal Government had since proscribed IPOB, labelling it a Terrorist organisation, an action which had the support of the SE Governors.

IPOB vehemently denies the categorization, saying it is a non-violent movement, yearning for the freedom and actualization of the Republic of Biafra.

Umahi is the Chairman of the South-east Governors’ Forum which established Ebube Agu

Afe Babalola: Nigeria’s Problem Is Its Constitution; Asks For Upward Review Of Retirement Age Of Supreme Court Justices |The Source

By
Ayodele Oni
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0

By Ayodele Oni

Legal icon and founder of Afe Babalola University, Chief Afe Babalola,(SAN) has observed that  Nigeria’s greatest problem is its constitution.

According to him, the only way Nigeria can change for the better “and pave way for the enhancement of a more united Nigeria is to restructure.”

Chief Babalola made the observation on Wednesday at the virtual launch of books in honour of Bode Rhodes-Vivour, a retired Supreme Court Justice.

The legal luminary declared that “I have always been an advocate of a new constitution to correct the ills inherent in the 1999 Constitution bequeathed to Nigerians by the military and christened a people’s constitution.

“We truly need restructuring in this country today and that will assist us in many diverse ways as it will enable us have a truly federal constitution as a result of which there would be a change in the mode of election and the type of people we would elect to govern us.”

Chief Afe Babalola also canvassed for 100 years, instead of the present 70 years, as retirement age for Justices of the Supreme Court, saying this would enhance more experience as they become wiser, as they become older.

“There is urgent need for reform of our judicial system. This is with particular regards to age of Judges, most especially, those at the Supreme Court.

“Experience has shown that a person becomes wiser and more experienced as he advances in age. Under our judicial system today, Justice Rhodes-Vivour is retiring at the age of 70 when he has not shown any sign of physical weakness and when Nigeria would have benefitted more from his wealth of wisdom, insight and experience.

“A brief look at other countries shows that appointment to the Supreme Court is a lifetime appointment. There is no age limit for a Justice of the Supreme Court to retire. Often times, they stay as long as they probably can.

“In fact, many die while in office. But those who opt for retirement, the average age is 78 years. The average retirement age has grown a whooping 103 years in other climes.

“Even, if Judges are not allowed to return to full practice, there should be a measure of participation in law practice that will ensure their relevance in the nation’s development of law.

“I suggest that Nigeria should adopt the quasi-restrictive style, which is in operation in the U.S. whereby a sitting Judge may recuse himself in the case of conflict of interest or allow retiring Judges to prepare and draft pleadings, motions and appellate briefs.”

“I know from experience that the best judges are those who have been in active litigation, who have interacted with clients, who have drafted claims and pleadings and who have addressed legal issues at different level of the courts.

“This is why in other climes, Judges are chosen from seasoned legal practitioners. I recall the case of late Justice Teslim Olawale Elias, SAN.

“He was appointed as CJN and President, International Court of Justice. He was Attorney-General of the Federation when he was a Professor at the University of Lagos and was invited to the Supreme Court where he eventually became the CJN.”

FUTO: How Nnenna Oti Broke The Record |The Source

By
Adesina Soyooye
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0

By Adesina Soyooye

Nnenna Oti, a Professor of Soil Science and Environmental Conservation, on Tuesday, April 13, 2021 shattered the records at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO.

Established in 1980, FUTO is the oldest Federal University  of Technology in Nigeria. But in its 41year history, it has never had a female Vice Chancellor. On Tuesday, Professor Oti broke that jinx.

And, she did it in style – beating an all-male star-studded field.

Over 70 Professors applied for the high profile job. The list was pruned down to the best eight for the final interview and selection.

At the end of the exercise, Oti was unstoppable, scoring a total of 75.5 per cent. Her closest rival, Professor Ikechukwu Dozie  according to the Chairman of FUTO’s Governing Council, Prof. John Offem, who announced the result, scored 69.7 per cent.

Prof. Oti has always been a woman of distinction in academics, an all-rounder.

She holds a First Class degree (B.Agric), Soil Science, from the University of Nigeria Nsukka, a Masters in Soil Science (Soil Biology and Biochemistry option), UNN, a Post Graduate Diploma in Irrigation Engineering (Distinction) from Katholic University  Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Soil and Environmental Conservation from FUTO.

Until her appointment as the Vice Chancellor, she was the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, FUTO.

She will take over in June 2021, as the 8th substantive Vice Chancellor of FUTO.

Born on November 15, 1958,  in Afikpo, Ebonyi State, she is married to Dr. Nnannaya Oti. The couple has three children.

Ace Broadcaster, Rachel Bakam, Is Dead |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Rachel Bakam

By Akinwale Kasali

The Nigeria Media indistry has been thrown into mourning, following the sudden passing of a Television Presenter,  Rachel Bakam.

Bakam, 38 years old, died of anaemia, Tuesday, at the Hospital, where she had been receiving treatment.

Confirming her death, her brother, Armstrong Bakam, disclosed that Rachel died at 12pm with her mother by her bedside.

“She had anaemia; so, she was taken to the hospital on Friday and she died this afternoon at about 12pm. I was not with her when she died, but her mother was by her side.

“Before Friday, she fell ill and was admitted for some days but she was discharged and taken home. However, she was returned to the hospital on Friday.

“Right now, her mother is not in the right frame of mind to speak. Rachel was 38 years old when she died; she would have clocked 39 on September 11. She had a son,” Armstrong said.

Armstrong added that the family was in shock as Rachel reached out to them for prayers via the family group chat on Sunday and everyone thought she was recovering and would soon leave the hospital. Sadly, she died.

“We will really miss her because her death is shocking and devastating news to the family. In fact, the whole family is actually troubled and quite a number of people are yet to believe that it is actually true.

“On our family WhatsApp group, she posted that she needs our prayers while she was in the hospital on Sunday; People were wishing her well and she was responding with amen. Quite a number of people felt she was recuperating but the news of her death is a huge shock,” he said.

Rachel Bakam was born and brought up in Kaduna State. She studied English and Theatre Arts at Ahmadu Bello University and Digital Filmmaking at the New York Film Academy.

She was a popular figure in the Broadcasting Industry with her regular program on Television, tagged; Trends & Rachel.

The program is usually aired on Nigerian Television Authority(NTA), African Independent Television(AIT), DSTV, and Startimes.

I Will Cooperate With The EFCC – Okorocha |The Source

By
The Source
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Rochas Okorocha

By Gideon Njoku

Hours after his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, says his arrest was triggered by a series of petitions written against him to the Commission by the Emeka Ihedioha Government.

He has, also, pledged to cooperate with the EFCC, saying the Commission was doing its job. His pledge of cooperation runs contrary to his earlier refusal to honour invitations extended to him by the anti-graft body.

Okorocha, representing Imo North at the Senate, gave the impression that but for the appointment of a new Chairman for the EFCC, he could not have been arrested.

Okorocha was arrested in his private office, Unity House, Abuja, by EFCC Operatives after being on his trail for days. Unconfirmed reports say there was a stand-off between him and the Operatives before he was arrested.

But a release by his Special Adviser, Media,  Sam Onwuemeodo, said his Principal went to the EFCC (on his own) to honour an invitation, thus, trying to dispute that Okorocha was arrested in his office.

On why he was arrested, Onwuemeodo said he is being investigated because of the new man at the Commission.

“To us, the Commission is doing its job and should be given the needed cooperation. And Okorocha being a law-abiding citizen, would always cooperate with the Commission over the Matters in Courts.”

Confirming that the Commission has been on Okorocha’s trail,  Onwuemeodo said: “The truth is that Okorocha left as the Governor of Imo State on May 28, 2019. And shortly after his exit as Governor, Imo State Government wrote Petitions upon Petitions against him.

“The EFCC investigated the petitions and has been in various Courts of the land with Okorocha, to that effect”

Making light of the arrest, he said his Principal was invited for clarifications on the various investigations.

Onwuemeodo: “And if the EFCC has decided to invite Okorocha for Clarifications on the matters already in Courts, especially with a new Chairman at the helm of affairs at the Commission, there is nothing wrong with that.

“The matters between EFCC and Okorocha over his governorship in Imo, have been pending in various courts of the land.

“At the end of the day, we would know whether the Commission will be withdrawing the Cases in Courts, or would Continue with the Cases already in Courts.”

This magazine gathered that the former Governor was arrested over  alleged monumental corruption, in almost all facets of governance, during his Government. They involve billions of Naira,either misappropriated or laundered, including the  conversion of Government concerns to his own, and using State funds to develop  private concerns.

At the time of writing this report  Wednesday morning, Okorocha, who was arrested Tuesday evening, was still with the EFCC.

Okorocha’s Long Walk To Detention; Returns N2.7b, Still Arrested By EFCC |The Source

By
The Source
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Okorocha and EFCC

By Gideon Njoku

It was always a matter of when, not a matter of if.

Every discerning Nigerian who had been following the story of the, alleged, monumental looting of Imo state, by former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, his family and cronies, knew that Tuesday, April 13, 2021, would happen; that it would come to pass. It was only a matter of time.

So, when the news broke early that evening that Okorocha has been arrested by operatives of the Economic Financial and Crimes Commission, EFCC, it did not quite come as a surprise. Said an Imo elder in Owerri, “No news there. He ought to have been arrested more than one year ago.

Okorocha’s arrest which has been confirmed by EFCC Spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, was effected by EFCC operatives in his Unity House private office, Abuja.

They swooped on him, an eye witness told this magazine.

Yet, it was not easy to arrest him, the source disclosed. There was about a five-hour stand-off before he was finally whisked away.

It is not yet, officially, public why the former Governor was arrested by the EFCC, but it may not be unconnected with the  monumental fraud he, allegedly, committed during his eight year tenure, 2011-2019.

The alleged corruption included money laundering, illegal and forcefully land acquisition, conversion of Government properties to his, padding of contracts and more.

Okorocha has been under EFCC’s watch weeks before the expiration of his tenure as Governor. On the eve of the Governorship election in 2019, during which his son-,in-law, Uche Nwosu, was his preferred candidate, the EFCC, allegedly, stopped him from withdrawing the sum of five billion Naira from a Government account.

Nwosu, who he sponsored, contested under the banner of the Action Alliance, AA, after the All Progressives Congress, APC, denied him the Governorship ticket in favour of the now Governor Uzodinma.

In 2020, the Head of the EFCC, Porthacourt office,  Imam Usman, disclosed to newsmen that the EFCC had recovered, from Okorocha, the sum of N2.7 billion,  part of the sum of N7.9billion traced to him. Out of the sum Okorocha returned, N2.5billion was given to former Governor Emeka Ihedioha, and the sum of N514million to Uzodinma, Usman revealed.

Okorocha had denied that, but the question was: Why would the Commission claim he returned money if he did not?

Since then, the Commission has been on his trail, extending invitations to him. But they were invitations he, allegedly, refused to honour, prompting the casing of his private office on Tuesday, and subsequent arrest.

This will be Okorocha’s second arrest this year. On February 21, he was arrested by the Police in Owerri when he went to, forcefully, unseal a property seized and sealed by the Imo State Government. He was taken into custody, along with 14 other people. He was released on bail, preparatory to appearing in Court the next day. He did not. Instead, while the others appeared in Court from detention, Okorocha addressed his supporters at his Spibat residence, Owerri.

The sealed property, Royal Palm Apartments and Hotel, a sprawling estate, belonged to Okorocha’s wife, Nkechi. But a Whitepaper based on the findings of a Judicial Panel of Inquiry, on Lands  And Other Related Matters, set up by former Governor Ihedioha, and sustained by Uzodinma, noted that not only was the property developed with State funds, it was also developed on verge area.

Also, already, seized from Okorocha is the Eastern Palm University, which he claimed was his. The University was approved for the State, but Okorocha said his Foundation entered into a partnership agreement with the State, while he was the Governor. The partnership gave him a 90 per cent stake, and the State, a paltry 10 per cent. However, the Panel found out the University was build with over N20b of State funds. And there are many more including acres of land meant for the staff quarters for former IBC staff which he forcefully took away, and built his school and foundation. These, a tip of the ice berg, according to those familiar with the gazzetted Whitepaper.

There is, also, the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry On Contracts which Whitepaper is being expected.

A man with a vaulting ambition, he aspires to be Nigeria’s President in 2023. His campaign for the position has since started. He publicly emphasized recenty, that  he is richer than Imo State.

It is not known how long Okorocha, who is representing Imo North in the Senate, will be with the EFCC, but as at the time of this report, Uwujaren confirms he is in custody. Reports say he is already being grilled.

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