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EFCC investigates Akpabio, may seize his properties

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EFCC investigates Akpabio, may seize his properties

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has started a probe into the tenure of Senator Godswill Akpabio as the governor of Akwa Ibom.

The EFCC is investigating Akpabio, who is now a senator and Senate Minority Leader, over alleged N108bn fraud committed during his eight years in office as governor between 2007 and 2015.

It would be recalled that the Akwa Ibom State Government had approached the State’s High Court and got an order restraining the EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC and the Inspector General of Police from probing the tenure of Akpabio as governor.

The order given by Justice Ntong Ntong, was however later vacated by the same judge.

Read also: Yakasai predicts defeat for APC in 2019

According to a source in the EFCC, the anti-graft agency had written to five banks demanding information on Akwa Ibom State finances under Akpabio’s administration, while moves are being made to invite key members of the state’s House of Assembly and serving commissioners, many of whom served during the ex-governor’s administration.

The source said: “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.”

It would also be recalled that the EFCC had interrogated Akpabio last year after it received petitions against him.

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews

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