OYOGist.com has learned that the Governor of Rivers state Nyesom Wike has reacted to the claim by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that his government was shielding three officials from being investigated. Wike warned the anti – graft agency to stop engaging in media trial.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on Sunday accused the Governor Nyesom Wike led Rivers State Government of frustrating its effort over the alleged illegal withdrawal of N118billion public funds.
“We went to the houses of these three officials to serve them invitation letters but they refused to collect it. The security guards in their personal residences said they were under instructions not to collect any letter from EFCC,” the commission said.
But while reacting to the allegation, the Wike led government said it foreclosed the release of any of its official without first setting aside subsisting orders of perpetual injunction backing the state not to release its officials for questioning.
OYOGist.com reports
OYOGist.com reports
This was contained in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, who said it had told the EFCC not to bother about the said officials, noting that it would never release anybody from its government.
“We have repeatedly said that the state government will not release its officials to the EFCC for investigations until the commission approaches the court to set aside subsisting orders of perpetual injunction granted by various courts of competent jurisdiction restraining the EFCC from investigating or inquiring into the financial transactions of the rivers state government including its ministries, departments and agencies.” The Rivers government advised the EFCC to first and foremost quash the subsisting judgment.
“In view of these subsisting judgments, it would amount to an act of brazen illegality for the EFCC to insist on interrogating any official of the rivers state government. The Wike government noted that the officials would not appear before the EFCC until the subsisting judgments in favour of the Rivers State Government are set aside on appeal.”
It said since the Commission is “Resorting to the Media can only be described as cheap blackmail and witch-hunt to turn away public attention from the development strides in the State.”
