Duke, wife to face ICPC - Over N4.3bn loot; Ehindero may face anti-graft panel too

Lanre Adewole, Abuja - 14.01.2008

THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) will quiz the former Cross River State governor, Mr. Donald Duke, and his wife, Onari, tomorrow (Tuesday) over their alleged looting of about N4.3 billion belonging to the state while in office.

Duke ruled the state between 1999 and 2007. Highly placed sources disclosed that the former governor and his wife were summoned by the commission following statements made by former chairmen of local governments in the state, which allegedly indicted the duo on the handling of local government funds.

Duke was accused of compelling the 18 local governments in the state to be paying N1 million each every month into the bank account of his wife’s Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).

This was said to have been done all through the eight years that Duke led the state. Before Duke left office on May 29, 2007, a total of N1.728 billion had allegedly been paid into the said account domiciled with a new generation bank.

Apart from the council funds, Duke is also being accused of mismanaging about N2.5 billion belonging to the state government. The commission, according to the Nigerian Tribune sources, had summoned the affected council chairmen and useful statements had reportedly been made to the commission’s investigators.

The summons on Duke and his wife is reportedly to be on the strength of alleged indictment of the former governor and first lady by the council chairmen.

Also, the immediate past Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, is billed to be questioned by the agency over the placement in two Nigerian banks of N930 million given the police by the Bayelsa State government.

The commission reportedly summoned the former police boss after erstwhile Commissioner of Police in charge of budget, John Obaniyi, allegedly indicted him while explaining his role in the handling of the controversial fund.

According to the source, Ehindero would be expected to explain how the money was expended, with particular emphasis on what happened to the over N40 million bank interest that accrued.

Ehindero had insisted that the money from the Bayelsa State government, which he was alleged to have mismanaged, was used in buying arms and ammunition for the Police.

Nigerian Tribune sources said that it became imperative for Ehindero to be questioned, given Obaniyi’s statement to the commission that all the transactions on the matter were at the instance of the former IGP.

The source revealed that Obaniyi in his statement when he appeared before a team of ICPC investigators a month ago, revealed that he placed the N930 million in an interest-yielding account for five months before the money was removed for the alleged purchase of the arms.

Obaniyi told detectives that he placed the money in two banks, Wema Bank and Intercontinental Bank, with the authority of Ehindero.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the two banks had since submitted the statement of account on the transaction to the anti-corruption body.