Breaking: EFCC arrests former governor, Akpabio over alleged fraud

 

Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, was reportedly arrested on Friday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
According to the findings of an online news site, Premium Times, Akpabio was said to have been taken in by EFCC operatives at about 5.20 pm.

He was said to have been accompanied by a few aides and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Ricky Tarfa.
The report states that an aide to the former governor, who cannot be named because he is not authorised to speak on the matter revealed that Mr. Akpabio is currently being interrogated by top officials of the EFCC.
 
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics and the office of the Accountant General of the Federation indicate that under Mr. Akpabio, known for ostentatious spending, Akwa Ibom received a staggering N1. 6 trillion from FAAC between June 2007 and May 2014.
He alleged that between January and December 2014, the ex-governor colluded with two of his top aides to steal a whopping N108.1 billion from the state’s treasury.

Mr. Ekpenyong told the EFCC that the former Government House Permanent Secretary, Etekamba Umoren, and the former Accountant General of the state, Udo Isobara, colluded with Mr. Akpabio to steal the funds.

“Between January –December 2014, it is on record that the trio of Godswill Akpabio, Mr. Etekamba Umoren and Mr. Udo Isobara, made illegal but substantial withdrawals of cash from a designated state government-owned account with Zenith Bank with account number: 1010375881 amounting to N22.1 billion,” he stated in the petition.

An EFCC source also stated to have confirmed the development.
“He was brought in at about 5.20 pm accompanied by a few aides and Mr. Rickey Tarfa,” source said.