After months of covert investigation and surveillance, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested a close ally of the out-going Governor of Edo State and Accountant-General, Julius Anelu. Two other officials of the State have also been arrested by the anti-graft agency in connection with N26.6 billion derivation funds allocated to the State.
Findings by The Postcard, revealed that the EFCC arrested the Accountant-General alongside two others. It was further revealed that the three top officials of the Edo State Government were picked up by the Edo State Command of the EFCC in Benin in the afternoon on Friday, Nov 1, 2024.
It was gathered that the Commission got interested when 13.6 billion of the money was withdrawn, leaving only N13 billion in the account within one week.
Sources in the EFCC revealed that the Commission arrested the Accountant-General and the two others to prevent them from making further suspicious withdrawals from the account.
It was also revealed that the State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has been under the EFCC watch list since 2022.
It was gathered that the commission has commenced investigation into the suspected diversion of State funds, with barely 10 days to the exit of the administration.
It was learned that those arrested are signatories to the State Government accounts. The arrest of the officials, it was also gathered, has grounded government activities in Edo State.
The arrests have disrupted government activities, with the state not being able to pay civil servants’ emoluments, pensions, and other public servants, security bills, and others.
The out-going Governor, Godwin Obaseki is expected to handover government on November 12, to the in-coming government of Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who won the September 21, 2024, governorship election in the State
