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…Suspects might be in custody till handover date – source
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reportedly arrested all signatories to the Edo State Government accounts.
It was gathered that the move was to ground the outgoing government of Governor Godwin Obaseki till the handover of government on November 12, to the in-coming government led by Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
Sources within the EFCC and the office of the Accountant General, who pleaded anonymity, said that five Edo State Government officials among whom was the Accountant General, Julius Anelu, were picked up and taken to the Benin office of the anti-graft agency.
The arrested government officials were said to have been invited for a briefing on Thursday and were subsequently detained.
With the arrest, government activities the source disclosed, had been halted, as the state government would not be able to access any government funds as the signatories to various government accounts were affected by the arrest.
The state government, the sources added, would not be able to pay emoluments due to civil servants, pensions, and other public servants, throwing the state into chaos. Other statutory payments such as security bills and other obligations are also affected.
It was also gathered that the arrested officials might be kept in custody till November 12, the day of the termination of the tenure of the outgoing government.
When contacted for confirmation, EFCC spokesman in Edo State, Williams Oseghale, directed the reporter to the Commission’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale.
When contacted on the phone, Oyewale replied through a Short Messaging Service (SMS), asking the reporter to send a text message.
Oyewale had yet to respond to the message at the time of filling this report.
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