Metro
Eight Former Ondo Council Chairmen Arrested, Grilled By EFCC For Alleged Misappropriation
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Eight former local government chairmen in Ondo State have been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly misappropriating billions of naira.
The former chairmen were reportedly taken into custody at the EFCC’s Benin zonal office following petitions from concerned local government workers in their respective councils, according to Peoples Gazette.
They are currently being questioned over “fraudulent transactions” that allegedly took place in 2017.
Sources told Peoples Gazette that the financial irregularities occurred during the transition between the former governor, Olusegun Mimiko, who governed from 2009 to 2017, and the late governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who assumed office in February 2017.
“They are currently in the custody of the EFCC in Benin City to answer the case of misappropriation of funds in their respective councils.
“The petition dated when Mimiko was preparing to hand over power to Akeredolu in 2017. The fraudulent transactions were made in the various councils using phoney accounts and contracts to embezzle billions of naira without making recourse to the yearnings of workers in the councils.
“It’s expected that those documents for the deal are still available for investigation, and these council bosses would be able to assist the anti-graft agency in providing answers.
“Let me also tell you that I’m aware that the ongoing investigations of the EFCC spanned across the 18 LGAs of the state. It is interesting that they all have a case to answer,” a source told the online newspaper.
The arrests came just weeks after the state conducted its local government elections, in which the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) won all chairmanship seats and some councillorship positions.
Investigations revealed that EFCC operatives had earlier summoned heads of administration departments in the councils, but they failed to appear.
The agency later moved to Ifedore LGA last week to question some administrative staff members.
A source disclosed that treasurers and heads of local government administration allegedly involved in the financial racketeering were also taken in for questioning.
“I think the news of the arrest of the LG chiefs has reached the government, and there is now an intervention effort even from the labour leaders in the state.
“They have been asked to write statements at the EFCC office, and I’m sure more arrests would still be made,” the source added.
A labour leader in the local government council confirmed the EFCC’s invitation to the former chairmen but declined to provide further details.
He stated that he was outside the state and had limited information on the arrests.
The state government’s spokesperson, Ebenezer Adeniyan, was unavailable for comments. EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, also declined to comment when contacted on Saturday.
SaharaReporters’ calls and messages to EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale for comment went unanswered at the time of filing this report.
Heavily armed gunmen on Sunday morning reportedly abducted a seminarian of St Joseph Catholic Church and several other persons in Enugu State.
The gunmen were said to have invaded the Catholic church in the Inoyi community, Affa town, Udi Local Government Area of the state, and abducted the seminarian and an undisclosed number of other worshippers.
According to a video circulating online, the attackers stormed the church premises in the early hours of Sunday while residents were attending morning Mass.
A resident, who did not disclose his name in the video, said it was raining as people made their way to the church.
“Those who were on their way to the church saw a crowd running out of the premises. They were told that at least seven armed men had invaded the church and abducted some members, including the seminarian,” he said.
The residents said they pursued the kidnappers but were unable to do much because they were unarmed while the abductors were heavily armed.
He said members of the community were willing and able to protect themselves and enter the surrounding forests to search for the kidnappers.
However, the residents, who were gripped by fear following the incident, questioned how they could carry out such an operation without weapons.
They said even local security operatives in the area were not armed.
The residents called on the state government to intervene and ensure their safety or provide them with the means to defend themselves.
They also lamented that one of the abducted persons was an indigene of the community who had returned home to bury his father.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from officials of the Enugu State Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
The spokesperson of the Delta State Police Command, SP Bright Edafe, was left stunned after two suspected drug dealers requested to take a photograph with him shortly after they were arrested and interrogated.
The suspects, identified as Omini Ezeri, 46, and Chinedum Wagbara, 42, were apprehended during a stop-and-search operation while travelling in a Mercedes-Benz ML SUV with registration number AAA 604 JZ along the Agbarho-Warri Road.
A search of the vehicle and its occupants led to the recovery of two Beretta pistols, a substance suspected to be cocaine, and a dagger. The suspects are currently in police custody, while investigations continue.
As part of the investigation, Edafe interrogated the suspects. Shortly after the interview, the duo surprised the police spokesperson by asking to take a photograph with him.
In a follow-up post shared on social media, Edafe said he had never encountered such behaviour before, explaining that the suspects appeared to become excited once they realised he intended to interview them.
He added that despite being arrested with cocaine and two pistols, which they claimed were used for their drug business, they still requested to take a picture with him after the interrogation.
The Catholic Diocese of Otukpo in Benue State has confirmed the safe return of its seminarian, Kelvin Ochai, who was abducted by gunmen at Asa III in Otukpo Local Government Area of the state.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese, Very Rev. Fr. Joseph Itodo, on Saturday.
Itodo attributed the seminarian’s safe return to divine intervention and the prayers of Christians and well-wishers.
According to the diocese, the seminarian escaped from the custody of his abductors and made his way to Aliade in Gwer East Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, where he was reunited with his family unharmed.
“Through the prayers of the people of God, Kelvin escaped from the custody of his abductors on the evening of Friday, 31st July, 2026, and made his way to Aliade, Gwer East LGA of Benue State. He has since been safely reunited with his family and is unharmed,” the statement read in part.
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo, Most Rev. Michael Ekwoyi Apochi, expressed profound gratitude to priests, religious, lay faithful, and people of goodwill for their unwavering support and prayers during the period of the seminarian’s captivity.
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