TONY OBUH ARREST BY EFCC: THE KPOKPOGRI N128 MILLION PETITION THAT NAILED HIM AND WILL ALSO NAIL FMR SSG AND KENNETH OKPARA

Secret Reporters

Contrary to public insinuation that Delta State Governor, Mr Ifeanyi Okowa was responsible for the arrest of former gubernatorial aspirant, Mr Anthony Chuks Obuh by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Secret Reporters can report with every authority that the man behind the arrest is Comrade Prince Kpokpogri, Chairman of the Anti Corruption and Integrity Forum who possess damaging documents detailing fraudulent transactions carried out by Tony Obuh when he was the Permanent Secretary of Government House in the last administration.

In a strong worded petition submitted on 31st May 2016 with series of reminder and visit to the Abuja office of EFCC, which we have reproduced below, Kpokpogri availed the commission one of the documents that narrated how Obuh on June 16th 2014 without battling an eyelid demanded for the sum of N128.8 million to hire just five boats for eight days for security surveillance.

According to the group, the amount was inflated four times more than the actual amount it truly cost. To carry out this fraud, Kpokpogri told the EFCC officials that the former Secretary to the State Governor, Ovuzorie Macaulay connived with the former Commissioner of Economic Planning, Kenneth Okpara alongside Obuh to convince former governor Emmanuel Uduaghan on the need to approve the money.

Obuh while demanding for the release of the money stated that the boats will be stationed along Benin River, Warri River, Escravos River, Forcados River etc.

Others indicted in the petition include the former Permanent Secretary, Benson Oburoh, who was also arrested alongside Obuh, J.O Peters Emaviwe, M.O Oghene who was the Director of Finance and Admin as well as the State Accountant General, Mr Cyril Agbele. The group also listed the former Governor as among those to be probed and jailed.

The fraudulent transaction was proposed by the Directorate of Government House and Protocol with requisition no 10024970 and file no GHA515/T14/16. Invoice verification no is 5105668625. Kpokopgri also stated that “the fraud infested boat rental payment was said to be fulfilled on 1/9/2014 for a rental cost that has since been incurred since 26/1/2013.

When asked what will be the case of Uduaghan since he approved the money, a reliable EFCC source stated that Uduaghan cannot be held liable, as he was only acting on advice and recommendation, which the office of the SSG oversees. Our internal source revealed that all those listed in the petition will be prosecuted and jailed except for Uduaghan and the AG who acted innocently and based on advice and instructions.

Our sources within the Okowa camp confided in us that Obuh and Macaulay took advantage of the former Governor concern for security in the state to raise such memo, knowing that he will approve it as he cannot compromise the state security, especially under the period Nigeria faced security challenges.

We can also report that the EFCC stayed in Delta State for two days before they arrested Obuh and two others, but were never put in any hotel by Okowa’s Principal Secretary, Mr Hilary Ibegbulem. One of the government officials confirmed that they only demanded for documents which were supplied to them by the ministries concerned. While they were in Asaba, Hilary was in Port Harcourt for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convention and on the the day they were whisked away, he was in Warri for peace and security summit organized by Edwin Clark.

When done with Obuh, Macaulay and others will be the next persons to be picked up and grilled, an EFCC source confided.

When contacted, Kpokpogri vowed to present more documents against Obuh detailing how he used his office to enrich himself as well as Macaulay.

“The only free man in this case is the AG and maybe Uduaghan, but I will pursue this case to the end and see others go to jail. There is no peace for the wicked”, he said in a Whatsapp message to this newspaper.

Our EFCC source confirmed that during the grilling and drilling section, Obuh agreed to be a prosecution witness against Macaulay and others. As soon as he left the commission, a source disclosed that he called Ayiri Emami, complaining that Okowa used Kpokpogri to ‘deal with me as the only petition shown to me was the one written by him”