Ex-Ebonyi Commissioner Arrested Over N83m Bribery Allegation
Adetokunbo Fakeye
Nigeria anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, on Monday arrested a former Commissioner for Public Utilities in Ebonyi State, Engineer Benjamin Ogbonnaya Okah, for alleged abuse of office and collecting gratification to the tune of N83 million
The arrest, according to the agency spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren was sequel to a petition by the Ebonyi State government over the $12 million contract to a US based company Califco Group that had been abandoned since 2012, despite a mobilization of $10.8 million already paid by Ebonyi state government into the accounts of the said company.
Uwujaren stated further that investigation has revealed that both the Abuja and Ebonyi state addresses of the said company are fictitious.
It the course of investigation, he said, it was discovered that the former Commissioner allegedly collected gratification from the company in the sum of N83 million between July 30, 2012 and December 30, 2014, through his companies: Global Victory Allied Company and Mahco Mega Nigeria Limited. .
Investigation in this matter continues, he said.