Looters Be Warned: EFCC Tracking Accounts Ahead of Handover

Some states where accounts are being watched closely are Imo, Kano, Kwara, Lagos.

The step by the EFCC was informed by intelligence report about suspicious financial activities by top officials of the mentioned states and others not mentioned.

The development came almost a week after the Imo State acting Accountant-General, Mr Uzoho Casmir, was arrested for allegedly withdrawing N1.050bn from the state coffers for vote-buying on the instruction of Governor Rochas Okorocha.

Uzoho’s arrest on Thursday last week followed intelligence report that the governor allegedly intended to use the money for vote-buying in favour of his preferred candidate in the March 16 governorship elections.

The EFCC was also said to have exposed about N1bn cash withdrawal by Kwara State Government, a week before the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections.

Investigations by the EFCC operatives revealed that the money was withdrawn from the state’s account domiciled with Sterling Bank.

A source in EFCC explained that, “Following intelligence reports that some state governments were looting public funds to induce voters during the elections, the EFCC set up a special team which has successfully tracked the financial improprieties by Imo, Kano and Kwara states.”

“The agency is also monitoring the accounts of many other states to prevent suspicious withdrawals and transactions.”