…as Lamido honours invitation over state funds

By Soni Daniel

Abuja—Former Imo State governor, Ikedi Ohakim, has been arrested by operatives of  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for alleged corruption while in office.

He was arrested around 8a.m. in his residence in Asokoro District of Abuja, yesterday, after failing to honour an invitation from the commission, Wednesday.

An official of the commission confirmed the arrest to Vanguard in a telephone interview, saying Ohakim was still being quizzed at the time of filing this story.

It was not clear if he would be allowed to go on bail.
Ohakim was arrested by agents of the commission to shed more light on alleged transfer of the state’s funds to acquire choice property in many locations, a charge he flatly denied when confronted with the evidence.
The EFCC is said to be preparing charges against the former governor, having been convinced by the evidence provided by former key officials in his government, who were previously arrested and interrogated by the agency.

The arrest of Ohakim coincided with the summon extended to former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, to appear before the operatives of the commission to explain issues relating to alleged siphoning of state funds by him during his tenure.
Although EFCC did not ascribe any specific amount to Lamido, it accused the former governor of making some payments for jobs done to companies said to have relationship with him and his family.

Lamido, who was abroad at the time the invitation was sent to him, quickly returned to Nigeria, Monday, and presented himself to the commission, yesterday, saying he had not committed any offence to warrant running away from interrogators.
The former governor is said to have stood his grounds that he did not commit any financial impropriety during his tenure and would always make himself available whenever the operatives needed answers from him on the way he ran Jigawa State for eight years.

EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the invitation of Lamido and his appearance, yesterday, as well as arrest of Ohakim.