Ahead of the November 12 transition of power in Edo state, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have reportedly arrested the state’s the Accountant General, Julius Anelu, and four other officials who were said to be signatories to the government accounts.
Blueprint gathered that the officials were invited for questioning by the anti-graft agency on Thursday, but were subsequently detained.
A source who craved anonymity said the government officials might be questioned over the state government’s ‘last minutes’ spending.
The source also said, “I am convinced that the arrest was to keep away the officials from the government business till the in-coming government of Senator Monday Okpebholo-led All Progressives Congress (APC) takes over in 11 days’ time.”
The development is coming four days after the All Progressives Congress (APC) claimed that the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led outgoing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government sent a supplementary budget to the House of Assembly for approval.
The spokesman for the Benin Zonal Command of the EFCC in the state, Mr. Williams Oseghale, simply directed enquiries to the Commission’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale.
However, Oyewale was yet to be reached for comments as of the time of filing in this report.