N551bn fraud: EFCC quizzes ex-Abia gov Orji, son for 10 hours

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday interrogated a former governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji and his son, Chinedu for about 10 hours.

The ex- governor, who has been on the commission’s watch list was intercepted around 10 am at the  Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and brought to the headquarters of the EFCC at Jabi for continuation of his interrogation.

Orji was quizzed alongside his son, the current Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, who turned himself in on learning of the arrest of his father.

Senator Orji and his sons, Chinedu and Ogbonna, are under investigation by the EFCC for alleged misappropriation of public funds and money laundering to the tune of N551bn.

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The probe by EFCC in response to a petition by a group, Fight Corruption: Save Nigeria Group.

The petition accused Orji and his family of diverting N383bn revenue from federal accounts, N55bn excess crude revenue, N2.3bn Sure-P funds and N1.8 bn ecological funds.

The ex- governor was also said to have embezzled the N500m monthly security vote he received  for eight  years as governor of Abia State between 2007 and 2015.

The EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the arrest of the former governor, adding that the two men were allowed to go home around 9pm.

“They were allowed to leave around 9pm but they will be back on Friday (today) for further interrogation,” he said.

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