EFCC Arrests Ebonyi Speaker At Enugu Airport Over Alleged N60 Million Scam

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Friday, March 4th, 2016

By IGNATIUS OKPARA, Enugu

The Nigeria’s anti graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC has arrested Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly Hon. Ogbonnaya Francis Nwaifuru, over alleged 60 million naira scam.

The lawmaker was picked up by the operative of the agency at about 1100 hours Friday at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu by operatives of the Commission.

AFRICAN EXAMINER gathered that the Speaker had previously ignored two invitations extended to him by the Enugu zonal office of the commission last year.

Our Correspondent learnt that he was first invited on October 20, 2015 to appear before the agency, but did not respond to the invitation.

Following his refusal to respond to the invitation, a reminder letter was sent to him on November 19, 2015, which he also bluntly failed to respond to.

Nwaifuru, who represents Izzi West state constituency in the Ebonyi State Assembly, allegedly misappropriated the sum of N60m constituency project fund before assumed office as speaker of the House.

A source close to the commission’s south east zonal office located at the Independence layout Enugu, told AFRICAN EXAMINER under condition of anonymity that the lawmaker, who is a close ally of the Ebonyi state Governor, David Umahi, is still undergoing serious interrogation by the operatives of the agency.

Arrest of the Ebonyi speaker, came barely 24 hours after men of the agency quizzed 3 Imo state government officials over alleged diversion of the federal government N2bn bailout fund to the state.