EFCC lifts restriction on Benue accounts

The Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has unfrozen the bank accounts of Benue state government.

Terver Akase, chief press secretary to Samuel Ortom, governor of the state, confirmed this to TheCable on Thursday.

Akase thanked Nigerians for “mounting pressure” on the EFCC over the issue, insisting that the act was targetted at the governor.

“The finance commissioner has told us that the affected banks called to say that the EFCC has directed that the accounts should be unfrozen,” he told TheCable.

“This happened yesterday evening… Like I have said, it is clear that Nigerians have rejected that impunity. It was a clear plot against the governor and so they have seen that Nigerians are not interested in it and they have condemned it.

“We appreciate Nigerians for standing by the truth, for supporting what is right and saving democracy from unwarranted attacks by the federal government.”

The action of the anti-graft agency had sparked widespread condemnation, with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, asking the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to call the anti-graft agency to order.

On Wednesday, Akase had told TheCable that his principal was being witch-hunted for dumping the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“It’s quite unfortunate that EFCC is allowing itself to be an attack dog against perceived political enemies. It is allowing itself to be used to witch hunt people who have chosen to go in the opposite direction from the ruling party. We reject this because this is an anti-people’s action. This is an action against the good people of Benue state.

“So Nigerians should rise up and reject what Buhari is doing in Benue state, he and his agencies.”