Speaker and other Law Makers arrested by EFCC over N750m car scam (Details)

– Governor Ortom of Benue state met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa

– He said he spoke with the president on the security situation and economic issues in the state

– The governor said his government would never shield anybody  found guilty of corruption

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has applauded the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for arresting and investigating the speaker of the state House of Assembly, Terkimbir Ikyange; the deputy speaker, James Okefe and the majority leader, Benjamin Adanyi.

Speaking on Thursday, June 30, with state house correspondents shortly after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja, Ortom said his government would never shield anybody found to be corrupt or wanting, The Punch reports.

He added that nobody should be an exception in the ongoing anti-corruption war in the country.

The EFCC invited the principal officers of the assembly to Abuja on Tuesday over alleged misappropriation of N750million meant for the purchase of cars for members.

The governor said: “Yes, it (the arrest of the lawmakers) is a good thing. It is part of the process. They are under investigation by the EFCC.

“From day one, I brought up a slogan that, ‘if you chop money, money will chop you’. We have to be careful and I have sent signals to all that nobody is above the law.

 “If you do it wrong, you will go your own way. As far as I am concerned, they are under investigation. Let us see the outcome we would have.

 “As far as I am concerned, my government will not shied anybody who is corrupt and who is found wanting. Myself as the governor and every other lieutenant are open to scrutiny; there is Freedom of Information Bill and people are allowed to get information from these sources.”

Ortom noted that the EFCC is an agency that is charged with investigation and they are free to do their job in Benue state.

“I have given them free hand: ICPC, EFCC, and even for me, I am doing independent prosecution of those who are corrupt,” he said.

According to him, his government set up a commission which came up with a report that N107billion should be retrieved from 52 persons, including the former governor, Gabriel Suswam, adding that an unnamed person who was indicted had already offered to refund N355m.

He said the government would not prosecute anybody who returns money.

On his meeting with the president, he said used the opportunity to intimate him of the security situation and economic issues in the state.

Ortom was optimistic that the strategies put in place by his administration would address kidnappings and killings being experienced in the state.

A week ago, report surfaced that the EFCC had beamed its searchlight on Governor Ortom over an alleged transfer of the state’s cash amounting to N4.29 billion from banks to unknown recipients.

He however, denied ever transferring such huge amount from the financial system blaming the report on those he claimed had looted the state to the tune of N107 billion before he took over.