EFCC Grills Ex-Benue Governor Suswam

 

 

Ex-governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam was yesterday detained and questioned from 10 am to 6:45 pm by The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of financial mismanagement.

 

The former governor was interrogated for hours on what he knew about the missing funds in his state during the period he ruled as governor. According to reliable sources, The EFCC grilled the ex-governor over allegations of diversion of public funds and massive fraud during his tenure as governor of Benue state.

 

The governor was held for about 8 hours at the Idiagbon Block in Abuja headquarters of EFCC. Suswam who wore a grey suit was ushered into a waiting vehicle and taken away by two aides. He refused to grant interview to journalists who had waited endlessly for him to come out.

“Suswam is being investigated by the anti-graft body for alleged corruption and misappropriation while he was governor of Benue State between 2007 and 2015,” a source said.

 

Suswam's long stay in the EFCC building has been attributed to the agency's decision to get the facts from him and also he was said to have had difficulty meeting his bail conditions.

 

It will be recalled that a former Benue State Commissioner of Finance, Mr. Omadachi Oklobia was on Friday, October 9, grilled by the EFCC over his role in the mismanagement of Benue State's public funds.

 

According to sources: “The anti-graft agency had invited Oklobia, who served under Mr. Gabriel Suswam, a former Benue State governor, to defend the allegations of diversion of public funds, abuse of office, embezzlement and fraud while he was in office.”

 

It is yet to be seen if EFCC will go further to prove the charges and not just arresting and interrogating those who are perceived to have laundered their state's funds when they were in positions of trust. Many Nigerians have continued to see EFCC grill individuals who have in one way or the other stolen state funds but nothing comes out of it after that.

 

Meanwhile, a Makurdi High Court yesterday granted an injunction restraining the Judicial Commission of Inquiry established by the Benue State government from further probing Suswam’s administration.

 

Suswam had last week filed a suit to stop the panel, which was constituted by his successor to investigate the income and expenditure of his tenure between 2007 and 2015.

 

The state Chief Judge, Justice Iorhemen Hwande, yesterday granted the exparte motion to discontinue the panel from sitting on the matter.

 

The former governor questioned the constitution of the panel which in his estimation was done unlawfully as some members of the panel lack the locus standi to sit in it.

 

Justice Hwande directed that the panel be served an injunction order within seven days, and also ordered the commission to stop forthwith, the trial of the administration of Suswam.