The anti-corruption campaign of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led
administration appears to have taken a bigger bite as the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission has secretly frozen the bank accounts of former
President Goodluck Jonathan’s associates, according to Sunday Punch
One of Punch's correspondents learnt that the move by the anti-graft
agency was aimed at scuttling the tranfer of the alleged looted funds from the
accounts for other reasons.
A member of a key transition committee of the All Progressives
Congress, who spoke to Punch on condition of anonymity, on
Friday, said the need had become necessary in view of the magnitude of the
alleged theft of public resources by the affected persons.
The APC chieftain spoke on the heels of the condemnation of
President Buhari’s ongoing probe of the last administration of the Peoples
Democratic Party and recovery of funds looted by public officials.
The affected accounts, Sunday Punch learnt, belonged to Keketobou
Foundation, owned by former Special Adviser to Jonathan on Niger Delta and
Coordinator of the Amnesty Programme, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, and Mieka Divers
Limited as well as Global West Vessels Limited reportedly owned by ex-Niger
Delta warlord, Mr. Government Ekpompolo, aka Tompolo.
Further investigations by Punch also showed that one
of Jonathan’s close allies, Mr. Kime Engozi’s accounts had also been flagged.
Engozi is the contractor handling the N30bn Maritime University
contract at Okerenkoko in the Gbaramatu area of Delta State.
Besides, funds already approved for the commencement of the
university are said to have remained frozen in a Yenagoa branch of the United
Bank for Africa Plc.
The NIMASA Technical College at Okoloba, also in Delta State, is
also said to be facing an uncertain future as there are fears that the
institution might be scrapped.
Accounts linked to the former Director General of NIMASA, Dr.
Patrick Akpobolokemi, are also said to have been frozen by the EFCC.
The source, who is now in the Presidency, said although he could
not confirm if Jonathan’s recent meeting with Buhari discussed the issue, the
action to ‘flag’ the said accounts might have been for security reasons.
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