The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arrested and detained former governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji and his son Chinedu over alleged N48billion security votes.
The ex-governor and his son who is the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly are also expected to account for N2billion Ecological Fund and conversion of Sure-P funds.
Orji had for long been on the Commission’s watch list, was intercepted at the Nnamdi International Airport, Abuja and driven to the headquarters of the EFCC in Abuja.
He is currently being quizzed alongside his son, Chinedu, the current speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, who turned himself in this afternoon upon learning of the arrest of his father. He was immediately detained.
Mr Orji, a current senator, and his sons, Chinedu and Ogbonna, have for months been under EFCC investigation for alleged misappropriation of public funds and money laundering.
The ex-governor is alleged to have received N500 Million monthly as security vote for eight years as governor of Abia between 2007 and 2015.
Other allegations against him concerned alleged mismanagement of N2billion Ecological Fund and mismanagement of Sure-P funds.
According to a source, the ex-Governor, who has been on the Commission’s watch list, was intercepted at the Nnamdi International Airport, Abuja at about 1000 hours on Thursday and brought to the headquarters of the EFCC at Jabi, Abuja for the continuation of his interrogation.
The source said: “He is being quizzed alongside his son, Chinedu, the current Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, who turned himself in this afternoon upon learning of the arrest of his father.
“Senator Orji and his sons, Chinedu and Ogbonna, are under investigation by the EFCC for offences bordering on misappropriation of public funds and money laundering.
“The ex- Governor is alleged to have collected N500million monthly as security vote for eight years as governor of Abia state between 2007 and 2015.
“Other issues relate to the alleged mismanagement of N2billion Ecological Fund and conversion of Sure-P funds.”
The Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the arrest of the former Governor.
