Benue Governor Commends EFCC for arresting and investigating the speaker of the State House of Assembly

Mr Samuel Ortom, Benue state governor yesterday commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for arresting and investigating the speaker of the state house of assembly, Mr Terkimbir Ikyange, and three principal officers of the assembly.

According to The Punch, Governor Ortom expressed his happiness with the swift action taken by the anti-graft agency, while speaking with journalists after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Benue state assembly speaker; James Okefe, HIS deputy speaker, and the majority leader, Benjamin Adanyi were invited to Abuja on Tuesday over alleged misappropriation of N750 million meant for the purchase of cars for members.

Ortom, while lauding the EFCC for the invitation and arrest, stated that his government would never shield anybody  found to be corrupt or wanting.

“From day one, I brought up a slogan that, ‘if you chop money, money will chop you’. We have to be careful and I have sent signals to all that nobody is above the law.

“If you do it wrong, you will go your own way. As far as I am concerned, they are under investigation. Let us see the outcome we would have

“As far as I am concerned, my government will not shied anybody who is corrupt and who is found wanting. Myself as the governor and every other lieutenant are open to scrutiny; there is Freedom of Information Bill and people are allowed to get information from these sources,” Ortom said.

The Governor  also disclosed that a commission established by his administration came up with a report that N107bn should be retrieved from 52 persons, including the former governor, Gabriel Suswam.

He said he would not leave any stone unturned to ensure that his government recover the money because he needed the money for the development of the state. He added one of the persons indicted had already offered to refund N355m.