N8.3bn road scam: EFCC detains Oyo A-G, ALGON boss, others

  • Print
Details
Category: Law, Crime & Judiciary
Published on Wednesday, 26 May 2010 05:50
Written by Punch
Hits: 1543
Share
JW_DISQUS_VIEW_COMMENTS
Three top officials of the Oyo State Government as well as a consultant with the government were, on Tuesday, detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over their alleged involvement in the reverberating N8.3bn road contract scam.

The detainees include the state’s Accountant-General, Mrs. Florence Okeniyi; and Chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria, Mr. Ademola Ojo, who is also the chairman of Ibarapa Central LG.

Others are the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Hosea Agboola and a prominent Consultant to the state government, Mr. Femi Babalola.

A source at the commission claimed that Babalola had been a guest of the commission on a number of occasions following the appearance of his name in petitions originating from the state.

The Secretary to the State Government, Chief Olayiwola Olakojo, was also questioned by the commission over the road contract last week.

The EFCC had invited the four in furtherance of its investigation of the petition written by concerned individuals and groups alleging underhand dealings in the N8.3bn road contract awarded by the state.

It was gathered that they were detained after being grilled by a team of interrogators of the commission, on Tuesday, while the source said that investigation would continue on the matter, on Wednesday (today).

The State Governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, had come under criticism by the opposition and other stakeholders for allegedly ordering the deduction of the lump sum from the excess crude oil account of the LGs.

The petitioners claimed that the alleged deduction of N250m from the account of each of the LGs, ostensibly to construct five-kilometre road in the councils, was not transparent.

The state government had consistently maintained that the money was deducted with the express approval of the LG bosses, who allegedly bought into the project.

It had been argued that the uniform amount was deducted from the coffers of each LG without recourse to the topography and peculiarity of the said roads in each LG.

The petitioners had claimed that the contract executed in some of the LGs were not commensurate with the money deducted for the purpose, while it was further claimed that the contract was not carried out in some LGs