EFCC Arrests Edo's Accountant General And Two Other Individuals

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained Julius Anelu, the Accountant General of Edo State, along with two other government officials as the administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki in Edo State comes to a close.

According to reports, the officials who were arrested were detained for allegedly making large withdrawals from the State’s derivation account.

This comes after Obaseki’s administration was accused by Senator Monday Okpebholo “of last-minute borrowings and looting.”

According to PUNCH, which cites a reliable source at the EFCC, N14 billion was left over a week after N24.6 billion was transferred into the government’s account.

Approximately two to three people, including the state’s accountant general, were arrested. We have been looking into the Godwin Obaseki has been the state’s governor since 2022, but certain withdrawals from the state’s derivation account led to this most recent arrest.

“Huge sums of money were taken out. For example, N24.6 billion was deposited into the account a few weeks ago. However, the account had roughly N14 billion left in less than a week. We have to act fast to save the state. The insider stated, “We are not doing that in any way to ground the state activities.”

As of the time of this publication, the EFCC has not yet responded to the development in an official manner.

Philip Shaibu, the deputy governor of Edo State who was restored, expressed concern about his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki, allegedly plotting to embezzle funds from the state treasury. During a press event in Benin City, Shaibu said that he was offering a N1 million monetary prize to anyone with information about suspected government property looting as the administration comes to an end.

He had also stated that he had proof of the last-minute borrowing from banking institutions and the purported looting in some areas.

Additionally, he had urged the Department of State Services (DSS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and other pertinent organizations to investigate the purported misappropriation of funds intended for the ongoing Radisson Hotel project, the Ministry of Roads and Bridges, and last-minute appointments made by the departing administration.

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