N1.4bn ‘fraud’: Court orders arrest of four Akwa Ibom officials

A federal high court in Lagos has ordered the arrest of four officials of the Akwa Ibom state government following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The EFCC had arraigned them over alleged N1.4 billion fraud.

The officials are Nsikan Nkan, commissioner for finance (pictured); Mfon Udomah, accountant-general; Uwemedimo Nwoko, attorney-general, and Margaret Ukpe, commissioner for justice.

Udom Emmanuel, the governor was, however, exempted from the charges as he is currently immune to prosecution by the virtue of the constitution.

Rotimi Oyedepo, counsel to EFCC, said the offence was committed sometime in 2015 and that the N1.4bn belonged to the state government.

He added that the offence was contrary to section 18 (a) of the money laundering (prohibition) act, 2011 and punishable under section 15(3) of the same act.

Paul Usoro, president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and counsel to the Akwa Ibom government, was re-arraigned on Friday but granted N250 million bail with one surety in like sum.

The commission had first arraigned the NBA preside in December 2018 over alleged money laundering in connivance with the governor, and other officials of the state.

The case was later reassigned to Chuka Obiozor, a judge in the same court, who recused himself from the case on personal grounds, adding that the case file would be returned to another judge.

The trial has been adjourned till March 18 and March 19.