EFCC bows to local and international pressure and unfreezes Benue State government's accounts

BENUE State has had her accounts unfrozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) according to the state finance commissioner who revealed that political pressure had forced the federal government to back down.

Last week, the federal government froze the state's accounts after Governor Samuel Ortom defected to the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). However, the action has been condemned both locally and internationally as intimidation after pressure was mounted, the federal government has finally backed down and unfrozen the accounts.

Yesterday, David Olofu, the Benue State finance commissioner, confirmed that the affected banks informed the state government late on Wednesday of the directive vacating the earlier order. His information was later corroborated by Terver Akase, the chief press secretary to the governor, who confirmed that the state now has access to its accounts.

Mr Olofu said: “We received an advisory note from our bankers that the accounts of the state government have been placed on suspension. These accounts are the accounts of local government, Benue State Government House and Benue State government.

“The advisory note did not say specifically the reason for freezing the accounts, so I will be speculating if I say I know. However, the latest news now is that I got an advisory note from the same banks that is from the Fidelity and United Bank for Africa that the directives to suspend the state government accounts has been lifted and no reason was given for that.”

When asked whether he had been invited by the EFCC on the allegation of the N22bn security votes under investigation, Mr Olofu who answered in the affirmative, expressed concern over the matter. He commended Nigerians and the leader of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum for standing against impunity, stressing that Governor Ortom was being persecuted for no just cause.

"Going to the EFCC is a routine, I have been there on a couple of times to throw more light on government expenditures, stating how government expenditures are made. On the issue of the security votes, I have been invited, they wanted to know specifically whether it was captured in the budget and we provided the necessary documents.

“But you need to bear one thing in mind whether it is right to investigate security votes because one cannot advance how many invasions that the communities will be subjected to, so some of the expenditures cannot be estimated in advance. However, as a government, when making the budget, you make provisional arrangements for security and you spend as the  situation arises,” Mr Olofu said.

Similarly, Mr Akase lamented the alleged persecution of Governor Samuel Ortom, since he defected to the PDP. He said the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation, was  already threatening the state-owned radio for what he described as alleged lopsidedness  in the coverage of state and national activities.