Breaking: EFCC Detains Edo AG, Others, Over Failed Disbursement of CBN Loans By Agriculture Ministry
By Reporter
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday apprehended some key officers of Edo State Government, including the Accountant General of the State and three other officers of the Ministry of Finance.
The State Commiasioner for Finance who had earlier been invited by the anti-corruption agency was however not arrested. So also is the Commissioner for Agriculture, who Midwest Herald gathered is also wanted for questioning about the controversial outstanding agriculture loan that the outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki mismanaged.
According to a source, the Civil Servants were invited and detained after their statements were obtained. As at the time of this report, the officers are yet to regain their freedom.
Checks showed that the detention of the Civil Servants is in connection with the Five Billion Naira Central Bank of Nigeria Agriculture Loan which was lodged in Sterling Bank when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Gubernatorial Candidate, Asked Ighodalo was Chairman of the board.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security under Governor Obaseki was responsible for the administration and disbursement of the loan and not the office of the Accountant General that had no approving authority for the beneficiaries of the loan.
The loan was mis-managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and then Special Adviser to Governor Obaseki on Agriculture. Farmers who managed to open the account with Sterling Bank complained of illegal and remote withdrawals from their account by the ministry of agriculture without their knowledge.
An active participant in the fraud told Midwest Herald that the money was used to buy tractors on behalf of the farmers by a consultant that was hired from Abuja by Obaseki to setup the tractor hiring unit for the state. When our reporters visited Edo Agriculture Development Program (ADP) near Ogba River, not a single tractor was seen.
Our investigation revealed that as today, there is about N1.8Bn left in the account with Sterling Bank, while major part of the loan was disbursed under mysterious circumstances to political cronies.
It will be recalled that farmers in Edo State had petitioned Governor Godwin Obaseki to President Muhammadu Buhari and the EFCC in 2020 over the diversion of World Bank and Central Bank loans.
The farmers under the auspices of Edo State Concerned Farmers Association, on Monday, protested in Abuja over alleged misuse of the sum of ₦75 Billion Naira Agricultural Loans by the Governor Godwin Obaseki administration of Edo State.
The farmers led by comrade Afeiye Muhammed claimed that the loans were procured from the Central Bank of Nigeria and loans from the World Bank.
In a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari, they claimed that none of their members got the monies in spite of the fact they applied for it since 2017.
The petition was also addressed to the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, Speaker of the House of Representative, Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chairmen of EFCC, ICPC and the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning.
According to documents at the disposal of Midwest Herald, the anti corruption agency had in May this year invited the finance commissioner for questioning but refused to honour the invitation. In a letter sighted by Midwest Herald, written by the then Secretary to Edo State Government, Mr. Osarodion Ogie, he pleaded for the Finance Commissioner to appear at a later date.
The letter with Ref SGA.440/T²/82, dated May 7, 2024, and addressed to the Executive Chairman,
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and attention of CE. Addulkarim Chukkol, Director of Investigations, was titled – Investigation Activities, Central Bank Interventions.
The letter reads: “I write to refer to your letter No. CR: 3000/EFCC/ABJ/HQ/SOT/VOL. 2/024, dated 19 April, 2024 on the above subject and to inform you that the Hon. Commissionerof Finance is presently on an official assignment outside the State and thus will be unable to honour the invitation at the said date and time.
“Consequent upon the above, kindly oblige the Hon. Commissioner with a new date for the interview with effect from 21st May, 2024.
“Accept as always, the assurances of my warm regards.” The Secretary to Edo State Government wrote.
Midwest Herald can confirm that there are over 10 petitions cutting across various sectors.
