ABUJA — A former governor arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), on Thursday has been released on bail after a lengthy interrogation.
Theodore Orji was granted administrative bail at about 9 pm that Thursday after facing hours of interrogation at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.
The former Abia governor was arrested by the operatives of the anti-graft agency at the Nnamdi International Airport for allegedly refusing to abide by the bail conditions given to him by the agency.
The former governor had refused to return his international passport, deposited with the body after he used it to travel to Dubai for medical attention last year.
Orji and his two sons, Chinedu and Ogbonna have for long been on the commission’s watchlist for alleged misappropriation of public funds and money laundering.
He was quizzed alongside his son, Chinedu, the current speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, who turned himself in upon learning of the arrest of his father.
The EFCC had in February 2020 interrogated Mr. Orji and his son over allegations that they diverted N521 billion public funds.
According to Premium Times, the investigation was triggered by a petition filed in March 2020 by a group, Fight Corruption: Save Nigeria Group.
The petitioners alleged that Orji diverted” N383 billion revenue from the Federation Account, N55 billion Excess Crude revenue, N2.3 billion Sure-P revenue, N1.8 billion ecological funds, N10.5 billion loan, N12 billion Paris Club refund, N2 billion agricultural loan, and N55 billion ASOPADEC money while in office.”
The former governor was also accused of withdrawing N500 million monthly. An amount which was “not part of the security funds expended on the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Army, DSS, Navy anti-Kidnapping Squad, anti-robbery Squad, purchase of security equipment and vehicles for the security agencies.”
Mr. Orji’s son, Chinedu, was also accused of owning about 100 accounts in different banks.
The ex-governor is alleged to have received N500 million monthly as a security vote for eight years as governor of Abia between 2007 and 2015.
Other allegations against him include alleged mismanagement of N2 billion Ecological Fund and the mismanagement of Sure-P Funds.
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