EFCC to probe okonjo iweala over alleged $2bn arms deal

Indications emerged last night that the Federal
Government would extend its dragnet towards
apprehending and prosecuting more individuals
and groups which allegedly helped themselves
with huge funds meant for the acquisition of
arms for the armed forces, leaving the soldiers to
fight with bare hands.
Meanwhile, the war of words between Governor
Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and former
Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
continued, yesterday, as the governor alleged
that the former minister facilitated looting of
funds by officials of the past admiistration.
Already, operatives of the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission probing how funds meant for
arms were diverted and stolen by top politicians,
have stumbled on fresh evidence that senior
officials of the Ministry of Finance and the
Central Bank of Nigeria were actively involved in
the transfer of funds to the suspects.
The operatives are upset that rather than help to
protect the fortunes of the country, the said
officials aided and abetted politicians to bolt
away with the nation’s scarce resources.
It was learnt last night that EFCC operatives
were set to summon the former Minister of
Finance & Coordinating Minister for the Economy,
Dr. Ngozi Okojo-Iweala and some top officials of
the CBN to shed more light on what they know
about the arms budget said to have been diverted
by bigwigs of one of the political parties.
Also to be invited based on evidence of
disbursement from the apex bank, are some
serving and retired top officials of the CBN who
helped in the disbursement of the arms cash to
the beneficiaries.
According to Vanguard, the decision to summon
the former minister and the apex bank officials
followed the discovery that the bank played an
active part in wiring various sums of money to
persons and institutions at home and abroad
without paying attention to due process.