EFCC to investigate alleged diversion of N107b in Benue, says Ortom

Falana lauds agency’s scorecard under Buhari

Contrary to speculations that Benue State government has dumped the Justice Elizabeth Kpojime Judicial Commission of Enquiry report, which indicted former Governor, Gabriel Suswam and 51 others for graft, Governor Samuel Ortom has said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced investigation on the findings.

Ortom, who disclosed this during an interactive session with journalists in Makurdi, to commemorate his one year in office, said the EFCC officials in Enugu State have already paid assessment visit to Benue State and that each of the accused persons shall be prosecuted individually.

He said his administration would follow the rule of law in pursuing the matter and advised those who allegedly looted the state’s treasury to return the loot.

Meanwhile, anti-graft crusader and human rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN) has lauded the performance of the EFCC in the last one year of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, but charged it not to celebrate yet because corruption is doing everything to fight back.

Falana also noted that EFCC still had the challenge of apprehending and jailing more big fishes and their institutional collaborators before it beats its chest that it had done well.

“In the past one year, the EFCC has secured over 160 convictions in respect of cyber crimes, obtaining by false pretences or “419”, fraud, stealing and other cases. By the standard of any legal system that is a record achievement. But the perception out there is that the anti graft agencies are not succeeding because the fat cats have remained largely untouchable,” he said.