EFCC arrests Ebonyi speaker for ‘N60m fraud’

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has arrested Ogbonnaya Francis Nwaifuru, speaker of the Ebonyi state house of assembly.

According to a statement issued by Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC spokesman, Nwaifuru was picked up at 11am on Friday at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, after he spurned two previous invitations by the agency.

“Nwaifuru was first invited on October 20, 2015 to appear before the Enugu zonal office of the commission but did not respond to the invitation. A reminder letter was sent to him on November 19, 2015, which he also failed to respond to,” read the statement.

“The lawmaker who is representing Izzi west state constituency in the Ebonyi state assembly allegedly diverted and misappropriated N60m constituency project fund before his emergence as speaker.

“As of press time, the speaker was still being grilled by operatives of the commission.”