Benue government accounts domiciled in three banks have been unfrozen by Economic Financial and Crime Commission (EFCC) says the chief press secretary, to the state Governor Samuel Ortom, Terver Akase in an interview with channels on Thursday.
The state government however, described the action as an alleged political witch-hunt aimed at frustrating Ortom’s efforts after he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) meanwhile, EFCC said in their report that four bank accounts belonging to two Benue state government agencies were investigated.
This action made by EFCC’s anti-graft agency was a result of investigations which alleged the abuse of Benue State’s security funds to the tune of N21.3 billion but the allegation was denied by Ortom.
“These accounts received N1, 916,635,206 from UBA and GT bank and N19, 468, 951, 590 from UBA and First bank from the Benue State allocation between June 30, 2015 and March 2018,” the EFCC said in a report.
The action taken by EFCC was already having a negative impact on the operation of Benue state government as this move was to affect the salaries, pensions and other sundry payments of workers.
“It is a move that will affect salaries, pensions and other sundry payments. The question we are asking is; why did EFCC not investigate the Governor’s security votes when he was still a member of APC?” Akase said during the interview.
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) also condemned EFCC’s action hours later yesterday after the accounts were frozen
“Freezing the accounts of the government was unconstitutional”. Abdul’Aziz Yari, NGF Chairman and Zamfara State Governor told the reporters in Abuja.
PDP also blamed the EFCC for their actions, as well as for freezing Akwa Ibom State government accounts saying that the actions of the anti-graft agency cannot be justified under any guise within the dictates of the constitution of Nigeria.
President Muhammadu Buhari was consequently asked to order the EFCC to unfreeze the accounts, warning that the action was capable of unleashing hardship on the people in the states.
