A huge number of damning petitions are currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to senior operatives of the commission, some of the immediate past governors and many of their family members will soon be charged to court on the conclusion of investigation into allegations of stealing, abuse of office, money laundering and other vices, for which EFCC said they have been indicted.
“Since we are not the final arbiter on corruption matters, they will all have their days in courts of competent jurisdiction”, the highly placed source said.
Further checks, made by LEADERSHIP WEEKEND, revealed that most of the state governors that served out their tenure on May 29, “have a case to answer”
Isa Yuguda is said to be an exception because there is currently no petitions written against him.
“We don’t know if there is any understanding between Yuguda and his successor but all the others have cases against them”, a top operative of the anti-corruption agency squealed.
“It has been a floodgate of damning allegations for most of the immediate past governors. We are investigating every matter in details and sieving out frivolous ones. The truth is that many of them stand indicted and will have to be prosecuted for money laundering, stealing and other corruptions charges.
“It is unbelievable that very few can escape if the judiciary doesn’t look at technicalities. You know we don’t adjudicate”, the source added.
While the former governors of Imo, Adamawa and Jigawa states have been arraigned in court on multiples charges of corruption and money laundering, a former governor of Borno state, Ali Modu Sherif. was quizzed by the Commission and released on administrative bail.
Penultimate Thursday (July 30), EFCC reportedly questioned Chief Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo, the Chief of Staff of the immediate past Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, over alleged embezzlement.
According to EFCC officials who didn’t want their names published, Nwobodo’s probe is a preparatory move to go against Chime.
The woman was grilled for hours following series of petitions centred on conspiracy and diversion of Enugu State funds by the former governor and his minders.
A top official of the EFCC said, “Nwobodo’s invitation is believed to be a precursor to the interrogation of her former principal as the agency is said to be flooded with petitions indicting Chime of humongous graft during his eight-year rule of Enugu State as governor from 2007 to 2015.”
In the coming weeks, crack detectives will put together findings and interrogate more former state governors. These former governors include those of Plateau, Ebonyi, Kano, Kebbi, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.
Many of those interrogated so far, we learnt, have prima facie cases that have been established against them.
“They have to defend themselves”, he said.