Friday, December 20, 2024 - The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has summoned all 18 suspended local government area (LGA) chairpersons in Edo state following allegations of financial misconduct.
According to sources within the EFCC, the probe was triggered by a
petition from Monday Okpebholo, the governor of Edo state, accusing the
chairpersons of failing to pay workers’ salaries for October and November. The
petition also alleged that funds earmarked for the salaries were diverted for
unspecified purposes.
Nine of the suspended chairpersons appeared at the EFCC’s Benin zonal
office on Thursday, December 19, for questioning, while the remaining nine are
scheduled to appear on Friday.
“The new governor submitted a petition alleging that the 18 LGA
chairpersons failed to pay workers for two months and diverted the allocated
funds,” the EFCC source said. “We’ve begun investigations, and progress is
being made.”
Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, confirmed the commission’s invitation
of the chairpersons but withheld further details.
The probe follows the Edo state house of assembly’s decision on Tuesday
to suspend the chairpersons and their deputies for two months over alleged
gross misconduct.
Blessing Agbebaku, the speaker of the assembly, stated that the
governor’s petition to the assembly accused the chairpersons of refusing to
submit their councils’ financial records, describing their actions as
insubordination and misconduct. The assembly has since begun its own inquiry
into the allegations.
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