EFCC grills Ortom over alleged misappropriation of funds

Samuel Ortom, former governor of Benue state, is being interrogated at the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The former governor is at the zonal office of the EFCC in Makurdi, the state capital.

Sources privy to the development told TheCable that Ortom arrived at the facility of the anti-graft agency on Tuesday morning.

Ortom is being grilled for alleged misappropriation of public funds when he was governor of the state.

A day before he left office, Ortom had said he is not afraid of the EFCC because he has “nothing to hide” and that “he ran a transparent administration” as governor.

“It is pertinent to state categorically that His Excellency Samuel Ortom has nothing to hide and will be available if and whenever the EFCC invites him,” Ortom had said in a statement issued by Terver Akase, his media aide.

A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ortom was governor of Benue from 2015 to 2023.

He handed over to Hyacinth Alia of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Hyacinth has criticised his predecessor for how he managed the state.

The governor said he met an empty treasury and that Ortom left with all official vehicles in government house.

On June 9, Ortom issued a statement through his spokesperson Akase to say he did nothing wrong leaving government house with official vehicles.