EFCC: Okorocha’s men evading investigation

By Magnus Eze, Owerri

Allies of the immediate past governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, have gone underground in Owerri while many of them have fled the town following renewed clampdown by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

South East zonal head of the anti-graft agency, Usman Imam, at a recent press briefing in Enugu, said the commission had marked more property linked to the former governor, his family members and some aides believed to have been acquired from stolen public wealth.

He disclosed that full scale investigation of the eight-year tenure of Okorocha was ongoing, revealing that many officials and contractors who served the administration would be called to answer some questions.

Soon after he vacated office, the EFCC swooped on him and his family members.

Apart from the closure of some of their private business outfits, the anti-graft body has deployed court processes to ensure interim forfeiture of the property, which include schools, hospitals and estates, as well as an ultramodern hospital belonging to his former aide in Owerri.

Daily Sun investigation, yesterday, showed that the operatives of the EFCC were intermittently sighted in Owerri, a situation that has forced some notable former appointees of the past government to avoid public places.

It was also gathered that the recent interim seizure of the hospital owned by Okorocha’s former principal secretary and now House of Representatives member, has fuelled fresh fear of arrest in the camp.

A source told our reporter that operatives of the EFCC were recently spotted at the highbrow Graceland Estate, Irete near Owerri, housing key actors of the Okorocha era.

Another high profile residential area visited by the officials was the Redemption Estate known as Udenwa Estate.

In addition, members of the last state House of Assembly were not spared especially the 18 people alleged to have received N22 million each from the former governor in return for supporting the governorship aspiration of his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, on the platform of Action Alliance (AA). Some of them have allegedly become regular guests at the Enugu zonal office of the EFCC. 

– Daily Sun