The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it was forced to freeze N5 billion belonging to Imo State government because of the suspicious ways the State governor, Rochas Okorocha, was spending from the state funds.

The agency said it was unconformable with cash outflow from the state’s account during the 2019 general election.

The EFCC’s Zonal Head for South-East, Usman Imam, said this during a chat with journalists on Monday.

He explained, “About N7.9bn is what had been blocked, although with pressure, subsequently, about N2.5bn was released for salaries. On the whole, we have over N5bn of those funds blocked; we are following up to see what actually happened.

“Honestly, what we discovered was that within two days, N700m was withdrawn in cash; N200m on the first day and N500m on the second day and all these monies were disbursed in a manner that was honestly unpalatable.

“Distribution to school teachers; I don’t know, schools that you were not funding and you woke up on the eve of the election and withdrew N500m cash and start distributing N1000 each or so to teachers. Whatever that means, I don’t know.

“When we came in, we were able to save about seventy something million of the funds that we discovered were not disbursed, we also blocked it. People are still answering questions as to who asked them to move those monies, monies that were blocked at the banks.”

Imam added that the sad story about this was that these monies were the intervention funds; the bailout funds that the Federal Government released to states to pay salaries when they were having problems paying salaries.

“They didn’t utilise that money to pay the salaries; they warehoused it and kept it until the election period, they started attempting to draw down the money. Whatever happens, we have saved over N5bn of that money, as we talk, two weeks to handover. Probably, the next government would have that money to use it better. There are a lot of other general investigations going on in Imo right now.”

Confiscated properties should be handed over to the Imo State government as theirs. They can either sell them or lease them and rentage goes into their IGR, but this must be properly monitored.

ERockson:
Fg is actually treating Okorocha stealing like a party affairs, otherwise we would have been hearing a lot of noise and press prosecution as they release his loot to the state government in batches if he were to PDP man. Like Orji Kalu like Okorocha but the igbo will never criticize their greedy kinsmen but be crying about Ganduje in the north and our political leaders in the west.

Liars, devilish liars from the pit of hell!!



Quit this cheap lies!


Igbos, especially Imo people have been screaming since 8 years ago that Rochas Okorocha is a thief that they don't want him, but you Yorubas and Hausa-Fulanis keep attacking Igbos calling them names that they don't have sense that Okorocha is the best politician from Igbo land, just because he joined APC!!


Imo people resisted his reelection but as usual, he used soldiers and Police + INEC to rig himself in.


Imo people also rejected him as senator but Buhari's Supreme Court later returned his certificate of return as elected Senator that no Imo person voted for, just as Buhari's Supreme Court forced another criminal Hope Uzodimma as Governor of Imo state against the will and wish of Imo people.


And Orji Uzo Kanu's case, Igbos have been screaming right from when he was Governor, Igbos don't like Orji Kanu at all, they call him thief, they have been calling for his prosecution and been writing petition upon petition to EFCC which I know personally.


If you look very well, it is only Igbos that don't support their corrupt politicians.... They always run to Federal government for cover and backup and citing Tinubu as their mentor which Rochas Okorocha did publicly.


Go and check, the politicians celebrated by Igbos are usually incorruptible politicians like Peter Obi, etc, not some criminals and you Yorubas and Hausa-Fulanis only love to promote and elevate the bad Igbo politicians who are known thieves against the will of majority of Igbos as a way to malign Igbos and cause rift among them.


Tell me how many Yorubas have agreed that Tinubu is a criminal Tell me.

This is enough for Imo and their brothers to say thank you. But you trust the children of hate and hypocrisy, they will continue with their childish insults and abuses.

Continue with your work Oga Imam. No Pastor can do this. Because most pastors are fake and cannot resist bribe.

[s]

Abagworo:

Anybody can be blackmailed and jailed including turning his people against him using manipulated media. Okorocha is an innocent man and will always triumph in the end. Jesus was blackmailed and killed by his own people even after Pontius Pilate found him not guilty.

[/s]


Okoroawusa was a crook as a governor. He looted and wasted 8trs as a governor. So APC government which okoroawusa is part of is now blackmailing him? Isi adiro gi mma.

Okoroawusa is going to jail. Prepare to be visiting him in jail, you know he is a gay.

ERockson:
Fg is actually treating Okorocha stealing like a party affairs, otherwise we would have been hearing a lot of noise and press prosecution as they release his loot to the state government in batches if he were to PDP man. Like Orji Kalu like Okorocha but the igbo will never criticize their greedy kinsmen but be crying about Ganduje in the north and our political leaders in the west.

Just shut up...we have always prayed that both should wear orange (Nigeria wears green though), Okorocha is the most hated past governor in South East because of his kleptomania, we don't applaud thieves. Ganduje is a thief, Orji Kalu is a thief and Okorocha is no less a thief too.

Bekool:


So this is the reason why okorohausa have been very quiet of late no more presidential ambition?

One of the worst and criminal things to do on nairaland is to quote the whole article before commenting. It's absurd.

Abagworo:
No money was seized from Okorocha.

Okorocha has been a victim of propaganda and blackmail because of his goodwill among the poor masses which contradicts the normal ways of the political class.

Blackmailing a thief ? Are you serious?

You can tell Imo people whose stolen money is now being returned.

AnanseK:


Blackmailing a thief ? Are you serious?

You can tell Imo people whose stolen money is now being returned.

I'm from Imo and I know he didn't steal

ERockson:
Fg is actually treating Okorocha stealing like a party affairs, otherwise we would have been hearing a lot of noise and press prosecution as they release his loot to the state government in batches if he were to PDP man. Like Orji Kalu like Okorocha but the igbo will never criticize their greedy kinsmen but be crying about Ganduje in the north and our political leaders in the west.

Why do you dolts like to accuse igbos unjustly.
Imo people cried and cried about Okorochas misgovernance in lmo state but it's rather people like you that were supporting him because of party.you people even claim that he was hated because of Buhari.
In the case of Abia, there have complaints about their governors so what exactly are you yapping about.
Ganduje was caught on camera receiving bribes and was criticized by every reasonable person, so how is that an Igbo problem.smh.

humilitypays:
Liars, devilish liars from the pit of hell!!



Quit this cheap lies!


[b]Igbos, especially Imo people have been screaming since 8 years ago that Rochas Okorocha is a thief that they don't want him, [/b]but you Yorubas and Hausa-Fulanis keep attacking Igbos calling them names that they don't have sense that Okorocha is the best politician from Igbo land, just because he joined APC!!


Imo people resisted his reelection but as usual, he used soldiers and Police + INEC to rig himself in.


Imo people also rejected him as senator but Buhari's Supreme Court later returned his certificate of return as elected Senator that no Imo person voted for, just as Buhari's Supreme Court forced another criminal Hope Uzodimma as Governor of Imo state against the will and wish of Imo people.


And Orji Uzo Kanu's case, Igbos have been screaming right from when he was Governor, Igbos don't like Orji Kanu at all, they call him thief, they have been calling for his prosecution and been writing petition upon petition to EFCC which I know personally.


If you look very well, it is only Igbos that don't support their corrupt politicians.... They always run to Federal government for cover and backup and citing Tinubu as their mentor which Rochas Okorocha did publicly.


Go and check, the politicians celebrated by Igbos are usually incorruptible politicians like Peter Obi, etc, not some criminals and you Yorubas and Hausa-Fulanis only love to promote and elevate the bad Igbo politicians who are known thieves against the will of majority of Igbos as a way to malign Igbos and cause rift among them.


Tell me how many Yorubas have agreed that Tinubu is a criminal Tell me.

Speak for yourself and stop speaking for Imo people. Okorocha is a Saint compared with 99% of Nigerian politicians and this particular news you're celebrating is fake

Abagworo:


Speak for yourself and stop speaking for Imo people. Okorocha is a Saint compared with 99% of Nigerian politicians and this particular news you're celebrating is fake

Okorocha might be a lesser criminal when compared to his mentors Tinubu, Ganduje, Buhari, Rotimi Amaechi, and co, but the thing is, we don't want any criminal element being celebrated as a worthy leader in Igbo land!


Okorocha remains a criminal like Tinubu, Rotimi Amaechi, Adams Oshiomhole, Ganduje, Orji Uzo Kanu, T.A Orji and many other criminals like them and we don't want to ever celebrate him at all!


EFCC should work harder and jail him!!

What nonsense? Shaa there is nothing we can do but watch.

Do we really need democracy in this country with the alarming rate of looting by these politicians? May God help this country.

Abagworo:


Anybody can be blackmailed and jailed including turning his people against him using manipulated media. Okorocha is an innocent man and will always triumph in the end. Jesus was blackmailed and killed by his own people even after Pontius Pilate found him not guilty.

I feel terribly disgusted right now.

Mayng01:
Do we really need democracy in this country with the alarming rate of looting by these politicians? May God help this country.

Socrates be laughing in his grave.

Fakest news of all fake news. Tell us the accounts you seized the monies from. Idiots thinking Nigerians are fools. Money you unfroze from imo state govt owned bank accounts, you are attributing it as Okorocha’s personal loot. Well according to Gov Wike, all fake fake fake fake.

Urchman200:
What happened to the remaining 2.7billion? are they saving it for imo state people? Please release their money abeg .

You mean only the headline is ok for you. Abeg read joor

/
This is a big lesson to the ones that believe the myth that "he is too rich to steal/loot". Okorocha was the poster child of the myth.

Keep running after the phantom philanthropists with hidden political agenda. When they loot you and your parents' pension funds, you will learn the hard way.

Any so-called philanthropist in Nigeria who delves into politics is criminal-minded. That's all. Where your wealth stops, mine starts. Nobody is too wealthy to steal in Nigeria. Even Tinubu still dey find money.
/

ERockson:
Fg is actually treating Okorocha stealing like a party affairs, otherwise we would have been hearing a lot of noise and press prosecution as they release his loot to the state government in batches if he were to PDP man. Like Orji Kalu like Okorocha but the igbo will never criticize their greedy kinsmen but be crying about Ganduje in the north and our political leaders in the west.

You too talk rubbish...the number of igbos calling out and cursing Igbo leaders plenty pass anything on this forum. You just want to act tribalistic but will write black lives matter tomorrow

Luckydubby7:


https://thenationonlineng.net/efcc-releases-5-7bn-out-of-n7-9bn-seized-from-okorocha-to-imo/

one Dikeocha Chukwuebuka, who caused the zone serious blushes by posting fake pictures of purported overcrowded EFCC cell was arrested and currently under prosecution.

so it is fake picture then

what was it that is in the picture??

ERockson:
Fg is actually treating Okorocha stealing like a party affairs, otherwise we would have been hearing a lot of noise and press prosecution as they release his loot to the state government in batches if he were to PDP man. Like Orji Kalu like Okorocha but the igbo will never criticize their greedy kinsmen but be crying about Ganduje in the north and our political leaders in the west.

The igbos were all dancing when Orji Kalu was sent to the jail only to be really by the President. for your info, we don't worship any politician and politics is not our source of income and you don't know how we igbos hate greedy politicians. And our corrupt politicians are nothing to compare to People Asiwaju, PMB, Atiku, Arigbesola , Fashola. our igbo politicians loot but not like the Yoruba and hausa politicians and more importantly we don't respect them

Okorocha should be arrested and jailed for corruption..

Toosure70:
Next time you don't fight gagaban of Africa, your second just freed from prison. Kikikiki

Who's fighting yourself stupid rogue Jagaban? You and i know the Tinubu you are hailing has stolen more than what Okorocha and Orji put together stole, yet you yorubas still Hail him but you want Igbo political elites to be crucified, talking about hypocrisy. I wonder the kind of God that created you people. Well we shall all get to find out the kind of looting that Tinubu and his goons have perpetrated once PDP takes over power at the center, I'm sure the money will run into tens and tens of trillions of Naira.

9jaDoomCountry:




You are a fool for saying Igbos will not criticize their corrupt politicians. It is the hatred you people have for Igbos that have always blinded you people from using your senses.



In the whole country, which other tribe has humiliated their politicians the way Igbos did to Ekweremadu. And when it happened it was your type that rushed to nairaland to claim Igbos don't respect their leaders.


Nonsense.

I'm just tired of these Yoruba people. I curse the day Lord Luggard decided to step Foot in This part of the world, I wouldn't have known these chronic unrepentant hypocrites at all. Tinubu is still the number 1 looting machine in Africa and the world right now but he is the "Saint yorubas" god, they Hail him jagaban in the midst of his bullion Van roguery....

WHAT ABOUT THE $15 BILLION DOLLAR SEIZED BY THE EFCC FROM EX-GOVERNOR JAMES IBORI OF DELTA STATE?

When will the federal government release the money to the government of Delta state?

All these money recovered from him and he is still a serving senator?
He shld be in jail, FG shld stop treating these thieves kindly.

one person will steal such huge amount of money in a state,As if the fear of God is no longer beholding mankind on earth.

all this talk, and no mention of the remaining 3.2 Billion naira.
how can you freeze 7.9 Billion and then you say you released back 5.7 back, and keep quiet.
3.2 Billion is unaccounted for!, Monkey EFCC.