By Emman Ovuakporie
ABUJA—Barely 24 hours after officials of both Jigawa and Kwara states were arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over diversion of local government funds, operatives of the commission yesterday stormed Owerri, Imo State capital, and arrested two commissioners and two top aides of Imo State governor, Mr Ikedi Ohakim.

The Imo State officials were arrested over their alleged role in a N15billion scam bordering on diversion of local government funds, fraudulent award of contracts, over invoicing and misappropriation of government finances.

Vanguard reliably gathered that the Commissioner of Transport, Mr Nwosu Obiora Ralph, Commissioner of Finance, Irechukwu George, the State Accountant-General, Poly Ajoko, and Special Adviser on Projects Monitoring, Mr. Ben Ekwueme, were arrested in their offices in the early hours of yesterday and are already having a chat with EFCC operatives in Abuja.

The commission’s operatives were unable to arrest two other wanted aides of Governor Ohakim who escaped through the back door immediately they sighted the EFCC men.

They were Prof. Obiora Iheduru, Director, Imo Job Centre, and Principal Accountant, Ikeagu Anthony, also of the Job Centre.

The EFCC in the last one week had started what could be described as operation show your state of finance in some states adjudged to be neck deep in alleged corruption and diversion of local government funds into private pockets.

Last Monday, EFCC operatives had arrested 5 top officials of Jigawa and 2 local government chairmen in Kwara over alleged diversion of N27 billion local government funds.

It was gathered that the anti-graft agency currently beaming its searchlight on four states, including Rivers, Kwara, Imo and Jigawa, where Nigerians had sent petitions alleging sharp practices by government officials in the conduct of government affairs, particularly diversion of local government funds and indiscriminate award of contracts.

When contacted, Head, Media and Publicity of the anti-graft body, Mr Femi Babafemi, confirmed the arrests of the Imo State officials.