EFCC Reportedly Quizzes Kogi Accountant-General, Official Says “It’s False”

By Danlami Nmodu
Reports reaching Newsdiaryonline.com from Lokoja ,Kogi State Capital said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,EFCC may have begun a probe into suspicious withdrawal of funds from the state’s coffers.
Aready,sources said the commission has invited some officials and bankers for questioning including the state’s accountant general.
“The EFCC has invited the Kogi State Accountant-General for interrogation in Abuja over the suspicious payment of over N3 Billion to two construction companies(names withheld). Also invited by the EFCC is the Regional Manager and the Lokoja Manager of (a new generation bank)”,a source said.
When contacted ,Jacob Edi ,senior special adviser on media and strategy to Governor Idris Wada said the report was false.He said he saw the accountant general walking free on Friday several times and that the man has been carrying out his official duties unhindered.
A more circumspect official of the state government told Newsdiaryonline.com “let me tell you,anybody can write any spurious petition to the EFCC and it is their duty to invite anyone mentioned for questioning.”
Sources said the money EFCC is probing into was allegedly withdrawn from a in Lokoja some days ago. It was said to have been moved to Abuja Wednesday night, prompting observers to link it to efforts to influence the outcome of the case against Gov Idris Wada at the Supreme Court. The case has been slated for hearing on November 25, 2013.
Attempts by Newsdiaryonline.com to confirm this development from an official of the EFCC in Abuja hit a brickwall .The official contacted said he could not confirm the veracity of the report immediately.He pleaded to be given more time to cross check.But there was no response from him at the time of writing this story.
The Jibrin Isah Echocho case challenging his nomination and election during the PDP primary in September 2011 is one of the two cases at the apex court against the governor. The second is the Oyebode Makinde case challenging his election and swearing in on January 27, 2012 by the Customary Court of Appeal judge.