BEVERLY HILLS, November 02, (THEWILL) – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained a former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, for his alleged role in the disbursement of N23bn which emanated from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The EFCC spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, revealed that Suswam, who was governor between 2007 and 2015, was invited by the Commission and was still in custody as of 7pm on Thursday.
Diezani has been accused of disbursing $115m through the Director of Finance of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Senator Nenadi Usman, during the build-up to the 2015 presidential election.
The EFCC has so far grilled over 15 former Governors and Ministers over the slush fund including the immediate past governor of Kebbi State, Saidu Dakin Garin; former Governor of Enugu state, Sullivan Chime; former Governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau; and former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff.
Others are former Governor of Adamawa State, James Ngilari; former Governor of Zamfara State, Mamuda Shinkafi; former Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke; and former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda.
Some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission have also been arraigned for allegedly receiving part of the funds.
Meanwhile, the EFCC has set up a team to investigate the immediate past Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir Lawal.
Reports indicte that Lawal, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) would be invited just like a former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ayo Oke.
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