EFFC Arrests Ex-Abia Governor, Grills Sons

Theodore Orji, current Senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Orji, a former Abia governor, was reportedly picked up at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

He alongside his sons – Chinedum and Ogbonna – are being interrogated by operatives at the anti-graft agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji, who is the current Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, reportedly turned himself in following his father’s arrest on Thursday morning.

They are being grilled over allegations that they diverted N521 billion from the coffers of the Abia State Government during the former governor’s eight years in office.

A petition filed by the “Fight Corruption: Save Nigeria Group” had accused Orji of diverting “N383 billion revenue from the Federation Account, N55 billion Excess Crude revenue, N2.3 billion Sure-P revenue, N1.8 billion ecological funds, N10.5 billion loan, N12 billion Paris Club refund, N2 billion agricultural loan, and N55 billion ASOPADEC money while in office.”

The petitioners claimed that the N500 million Orji allegedly withdrew monthly was “not part of the security funds expended on the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Army, DSS, Navy anti-Kidnapping Squad, anti-robbery Squad, purchase of Security equipment and vehicles for the security agencies.”