Abuja — Embattled Registrar of the National Examination Council (NECO), Professor Promise Okpala, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged embezzlement of N2.4 billion as well as the award of fictitious contracts. Also taken into custody are the council's Assistant Director in Charge of Procurement, Mr. Adesina Adetona and Director of Account, Mr. Isaac Shola, who allegedly colluded with Okpala to loot NECO of funds. A senior EFCC source told LEADERSHIP that Okpala was nabbed on Monday in Minna by operatives of the commission after days of evading arrest. He is currently being detained at the anti-graft headquarters in Abuja. The source further explained that the NECO boss is being interrogated for awarding a contract to his brother, Chief Iheanyi Okpala to build thirty-seven offices across the federation at N110 million each. When contacted on the matter, the Head of Media and Publicity of the commission, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the arrest but declined further comment. It would be recalled that the anti-graft boss, Mrs. Farida Waziri had last week, charged operatives handling the case to expedite their investigation. Consequently, operatives recently raided the Alovera Hotel which is said to be owned by Ishola during which he was arrested and interrogated. The EFCC had, in June, quizzed five top officials of NECO over the scam. They were Mr. Philip Duru (Director of Exams Administration), Dr. Nasir Dantiye (Director of Corporate Support Services), Mr. Isaac Ishola (Director of Account and Finance), Gladys Iyabo Akinkuole (Director, Exams Development) and Adolph Nweke (Director, Quality Assurance). Although some of the directors had denied any knowledge of the scam, others were said to have accused Okpala of running NECO like a personal property. The EFCC investigation was triggered off by a petition received from one Clement Innocent, who claimed to be a staff member of the finance department and alleged a N5 billion fraud in the council. In a four-page petition letter dated November 30, 2007, Innocent accused the NECO registrar of self-enrichment and fraud. The petitioner among other things, alleged that Okpala arbitrarily inflated the monthly salary bill of the organisation from N100 million to N400 million.