Breaking: EFCC Arrest, Detain New MD of First Bank Holdings, Nnamdi Okonkwo

The Newly appointed Managing Director of First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Holdings Plc, Nnamdi Okonkwo has been arrested and detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Details of Mr Okonkwo’s arrest remained sketchy Monday night although some sources said he was being questioned over his role in the transfer of $153.3 million from the Nigerian National Petroleum Commission in favour of Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria’s former petroleum minister. The banker was managing director of Fidelity Bank at the time.

The banker has remained in EFCC custody for at least three days, a source said, adding that it was unclear when he would be allowed to go home.

The EFCC had on April 28, 2016 detained Mr Okonkwo over the same matter and later slammed a 14-count charge, including money laundering, on him. The status of the case is unclear as of the time of filing this report on Sunday morning.

It is also unclear if there are fresh evidences against the banker which has now necessitated a fresh round of investigation. EFCC officials contacted declined to provide details.

The board of FBN Holdings Plc had on October 28 appointed Mr Okonkwo the new GMD of the company with effect from January 1, 2022. He will succeed U.K. Eke, who will step down on December 31, according to the company’s note to the Nigerian Exchange Limited.

The board decision came five days after the chairman of Geregu Power Plc, Femi Otedola, declared his 5.07 per cent stake in the group, making him a substantial shareholder.

It also came a day after Tunde Hassan-Odukale (FirstBank’s chairman) responded to a query from the exchange to FBN Holdings, seeking clarification on why the shareholding of Mr Hassan-Odukale and related parties were classified into two parts of 4.16 and 1.20 per cent respectively, totalling 5.36 per cent.

Source, Premium Times

EFCC Detains Former Edo State Governor Lucky Igbinedion Over N1.6 bilion Fraud

Former Edo state governor, Lucky Igbinedion has been detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged criminal diversion of public funds to the tune of N1.6 billion.

Report says the ex-governor was being grilled by detectives at EFCC’s headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.

The former governor reportedly arrived the commission’s headquarters around 2p.m. and was still under interrogation as of the time of filing this report.

Shortly after his exit as governor in 2007, Mr Igbinedion was prosecuted by the EFCC and convicted of corruption.

But the new investigation, according to sources is based on fresh evidence that the former governor diverted a loan obtained by the Edo State government to settle the financial indebtedness of a company in which he was said to have an interest.

Wilson Uwujaren, spokesperson for the commission, confirmed the invitation of the former governor but declined further comment.

Recall, that Mr Igbinedion was former Edo State governor from 1999 to 2007, he was convicted for embezzling N2.9 billion belong to the state in December 2008.

Following a plea bargain agreement he entered into with the EFCC, the 191 charges were pruned down to only one count to which Mr Igbinedion pleaded guilty.

In exchange for his guilty plea, the Federal High Court in Enugu sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment with an option of N3.5 million fine.

The judge, Abdu Kafarati, now deceased also ordered the forfeiture of the N500 million, and three properties, including one in Abuja, seized from him.

EFCC had in reaction to the verdict expressed its dissatisfaction with the option of fine given the former governor.