Benue Govt Confirms arrests  Of  Perm Sec, Directors, 5 Others Over N4.6bn fraud

O…Vows Not To Interfere With Investigation Process 

From Attah Ede, Makurdi 

Benue State Government, on Tuesday, confirmed  the arrest and detention of a Permanent Secretary, director and five others  by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission( EFCC) for alleged misappropriation of public funds amounting to N4.6bn.

Some of the affected principal officers  are from Benue State Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, with two consultants and they  have been in detention at the Zonal office of the anti draft agency in  Makurdi for the past three weeks after they  honoured an invitation extended to them by EFCC.

The EFCC is said to be investigating the alleged diversion of N4.6 billion meant for the local government in the state.

Some of the  affected officers of the bureau currently at the EFCC custody included; the permanent secretary, Mr. Ayu Terna,  Bishop Dzungwe, Director of Finance and Administration, alongside two consultants, Mr. Abba Adaudu and Nongomi Ter Joshua.

It was alleged that  funds were siphoned through the consultants under the guise of consultancy fees for auditing local government officials, pensioners, and Primary Health Care personnel across all 23 local government councils in the state.

Confirming the development to our correspondent in Makurdi, Benue State Commissioner for finance and economic planning, Mr. Michael Oglegba, said that government is fully aware of the alleged financial atrocities committed by the principal officers of the bureau.

He maintained that the Alia-led administration has zero tolerance for corruption and would stop at nothing to ensure that full investigation is conducted into the matter.

“Yes, am aware of the situation and government is fully aware also. Due to the zero tolerance that the present administration has  for anything that is not straight forward, we have allowed the process to continue with EFCC. 

“So, EFCC is going on with their investigations and when they are done with the investigations, they will come out with their report and action  will be taking. But for now the government would not want to interfere with the process that is going on.

“There is an allegation of such, yes. Yes, we are aware of it ,has monies paid out  for the said process, yes. So, they are investigating to find out if it were currently done and if everything was done properly. So, we are aware and we are fully cooperating with the anti draft agency”, Oglegba stated.

He maintained that those in position of authorities in the present government should know that  governor Hyacinth Alia has zero tolerance for corruption and would not condone any act of fraud.

“Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has zero tolerance for corruption and wants things done properly. That is the reason why he has done all the good that he has done and  because he has minimised a waste coming to expenditure. So, he wants this investigation to end properly and end well so that people can learn from this experience”, he said.

Meanwhile, One of the local government chairmen who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymous also confirmed the EFCC investigation into the consultancy fees allegedly running into N4.6 billion.

The chairman said, “The decision to approve the audit of our local governments was because of rots we met on ground and the decision was taken during our Jack meeting.

“The auditors were to audit the staff of the local government, pensioners, the primary healthcare and local government education authority personnel.

He said, “these  auditors began their work about two weeks ago and are still in my council right now “.

While stating that the audit  is ongoing across the 23 LGAs in the state, the anonymous chairman said that the amount paid to higher the auditors varies, “depending on the extent of the workload they will be carried out in each LGA.”

The chairman who  cautioned people not to play politics with the issue, described the ongoing EFCC investigation as a ‘routine ones, and added that all those invited so far were humiliated and commended the anti graft agency for its professionalism in handling the ongoing investigation.