EFCC arrests Ebonyi commissioners, A-G for alleged fraud

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Tuesday arrested two commissioners and the Accountant-General of Ebonyi State for issues bordering on corruption.

An inside source revealed yesterday that the serving commissioners and accountant-general are currently being quizzed by operatives of the EFCC at its head office in Abuja.

The identity of the trio were given as that of Igbele, Accountant-General; Timothy Ogbonnaya Odaa, Commissioner for Finance, and Mr. Cele Nwali, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters. They were said to have arrived Abuja yesterday morning and are being quizzed on allegations bordering on corruption and financial recklessness involving local government funds. 

“They are telling interrogators all they know about an asphalt project earmarked for the 13 local government of the state by the Elechi administration for which monies running into millions of naira was deducted at source from the local governments accounts.”

Competent sources informed that it was Nwali, who allegedly directed all 13 local government areas in Ebonyi State to erect asphalt complexes in their local government headquarters. Six of the local councils complied while seven did not. Yet funds were deducted from the accounts of all the local governments.

Nwali is also alleged to be the brain behind the deduction of N1 million from each of the councils, ostensibly to fund the production of T-shirts for the centenary celebration. There is said to be no evidence that the T-shirts were produced, while the N13million remain unaccounted for.