EFCC discovers Rivers State’s
officials’ hideout
By Elor Nkereuwem
September 5, 2010 11:43PM
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Some government officials in
Rivers State, who have been
declared wanted by the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC), have taken shelter in a
hotel, Eddytims Hotel, in the Mile 4
area of the capital city, Port
Harcourt, officials of the agency
said.
As at press time yesterday, EFCC
operatives were still in the process
of invading the hotel to arrest the
officials who are alleged to have
been part of a scheme to divert
local government funds to the tune
of N12 billion.
EFCC operatives, who spoke in
confidence with NEXT, said that
while a large number of the
indicted officials have fled the
state, some had been holed in the
hotel for some days now to avoid
being arrested.
“The hotel is owned by one
Timothy Nwosirim. He is the
chairman of Obiakpor local
government area and he is one of
the officials that the EFCC is looking
for, ” the EFCC official said
yesterday.
Protected by government
While the state governor, Rotimi
Amaechi, claims that the EFCC
operations is a witch hunt and an
abuse of court processes, some
reports say the EFCC has accused
the governor of shielding the
indicted officials.
The EFCC said that the commission
is not to blame for the leakage of
the intelligence report which led to
the escape of the indicted officials.
Rather, the agency put the blame
on the police and the state
governor.
“Rivers State is a volatile State so
when operatives are going there,
you must seek for support from
the local police. The police
commissioner must also inform the
governor before he sends his men
to support EFCC operations. So,
between the Rivers State police
and the state governor, those are
the people who could have
instructed the officials to flee, ” our
source said.
Femi Babafemi, the spokesman of
the EFCC, refused to comment on
the case.
“We are making progress in the
case. That is all I am going to say
about this, ” Mr. Babafemi said in
Abuja, yesterday.
All efforts to get a response from
the Rivers State government
proved fruitless.
The anti-graft agency says that it is
currently on cases of financial
crimes in virtually all the states in
Nigeria.
“Virtually all state governors in
Nigeria siphon local government
funds in collaboration with the local
government chairmen, ” an official
of the agency said.
“There is hardly any state in the
country that officials are not
indicted. We are taking them one
after the other. We are currently in
Kwara, Ogun, and Jigawa States, ”
he said.

As at press time yesterday, EFCC
operatives were still in the process
of invading the hotel to arrest the
officials

They wan use nuclear weapon enter the hotel? Now that the news is in the press, what stops the guys from taking to their heels? Hope FBI didn't worsen their strategy. . .

The issue is that can't EFCC do their job without attaching publicity to it ? They intended on arresting the officials meanwhile they've broadcasted same to the whole world. . . .what is the sense is that ?

“We are making progress in the
case. That is all I am going to say

What more do you have to say?! News like this give me a bad day. You discovered a suspect's hideout and it's in the news already, I hope you will also tell us when you get to the hotel's gate, enter the compound, the lobby, the lift, the corridor, knock on the door, exchange greetings. . .somebody help!

I've never believed in the anti-corruption war by madam farida and her officials, and this is one of the reasons.