Daily Independent (Lagos)
Alexandra Mede
2 December 2008
Abuja — Five officials of the Rivers State Government have been declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with an alleged N3.6 billion fraud.
Daily Independent gathered that the anti-graft agency on Monday formally declared the Permanent Secretary, Government House Administration, Fudera Hark, and Director of Finance and Accounts in the Government House, Robert Aya, wanted for the alleged financial misdeed.
According to an EFCC source, other people who are being hunted in connection with the fraud include three staff of Government House, Harrison Princewill, Nathan Wike, and Bright Ikonwa.
The source told Daily Independent that the Permanent Secretary and the Director were signatories to the bank account being investigated by the anti-graft commission.
He added that huge withdrawals were made by the other three officials who, he said, have been invited for questioning to no avail.
According to him, "all efforts to get these five officials to appear before the EFCC have proved abortive as they have taken refuge in the Government House in Port Harcourt. The commission has been forced to take this action because they must be fished out."
When contacted EFCC's Head of Media and Publicity, Femi Babafemi, confirmed that the commission has declared the five officials wanted for fraud.
But Reacting, the state government said "the unfortunate decision by EFCC to declare some of our state officials wanted is a gross violation and total disregard of a subsisting court order.
"We have a Federal High Court order restraining the EFCC from doing anything on the matter until the substantive matter is determine. The order is very clear that EFCC cannot harass, arrest or declare wanted, any official of the Rivers state government".
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fellow nigerians, i am very concerned about the looting, these guys are being accused of. but if it is true, that there is a court order banning EFCC from going after these guys, pending the determination of a law suit, madam EFCC is advised to respect the court order. this was what ribadu was accused of. nobody is above the law, including EFCC. afterall, they did not arrest lyle imoke because someone made a phone call. i am as usual CAPITAL G.C.