Abuja — It is not yet over for the Registrar of the National Examination Council, (NECO),Prof Promise Okpala,as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched a fresh investigation to ascertain his involvement in an alleged N5billion scam against him.

A reliable source in the commission told journalists yesterday that the chairman of the anti-graft commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri, has directed her operatives handling the case to expedite their investigation.

To this end,the source added that some operatives swooped on the Minna headquarters of the examination body recently and arrested its Director of Finance, Mr. Ishola Isaac, who petitioners have accused of having colluded with Okpala to loot NECO funds.

"After he was arrested, the operatives first took Ishola to Tundun Wada Police Station in Minna, before he was later driven to Alovera Hotel also in the city.

"The investigators then conducted an intense search on the hotel, which is said to be owned by Ishola."

Our source did not say whether any incriminating document was found in the hotel.

The EFCC operatives reportedly seized Ishola after they could not locate Okpala, who is said to be playing hide and seek with the commission.

The investigators also arrested and grilled for several hours one Mr. Sina Adetona, who was described as an assistant director in the registrar's office.

"I can assure you that we are determined to get to the bottom of this case. Anybody found culpable will be charged to court," the source said.

It could be recalled that the EFCC in June quizzed five top officials of the examination body over the scam.

They were Mr. Phillip Duru (Director of Exams Administration), Dr. Nasir Dantiye (Director of Corporate Support Services), Mr. Isaac Ishola (Director, Accounts/Finance), Gladys Iyabo Akinkuole (Director, Exams Development) and Adolph Nweke (Director, Quality Assurance).

In their statement to the EFCC at the time, the directors had explained that they were not privy to the scam.

Some of them were said to have accused Okpala of running NECO like a personal property.

They reportedly urged the commission to get to the bottom of the case with a view to bringing anybody found culpable to book.

A petition it received from one Clement Innocent, who claimed to be a staff of the finance and account department of NECO triggered the EFCC's investigation. He alleged a N5billion fraud in the council.

In the four-page petition dated November 30, 2007, Innocent accused the NECO registrar of self-enrichment and fraud. The petitioner alleged that Okpala arbitrarily inflated the monthly salary bill of the organisation from N100m to N400m.

He also alleged that the registrar, on behalf of the council, borrowed N750 million from three banks (names withheld) without permission from the Federal Executive Council or approval from the National Assembly.

The registrar, according to the petitioner, also awarded a N110 million contract to one Chief Okpala Iheanyi allegedly for the setting up of cybercafés in NECO offices nationwide.

The contract, was awarded in breach of government's laid down procedure for contract awards.

The EFCC officials have quizzed Okpala and some other relevant officials of the council over the petition.

The three banks from which the registrar allegedly obtained the N750million loan, according to our source, have also made statements to the commission on the matter.