The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) has arrested Bassey Akpan, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
from Akwa Ibom state.
Akpan, a former commissioner in
Akwa Ibom, is the third PDP senator to have been arrested by the commission in
the last three weeks.
The first was Peter Nwaoboshi, a
senator from Delta state. He spent some days in custody before being arraigned
in court, sent to prison and granted bail.
Jonah Jang, a PDP senator from
Plateau state, was arrested by the anti-graft agency and is currently in
detention following the refusal of a Plateau high court to grant him bail.
They were all accused of acts of
fraud.
According to TheNation, Bassey
allegedly received vehicles worth N303 million from Babajide Omokore, an oil
magnate who is under trial for alleged fraud.
Akpan was said to have given
contracts worth billions of naira to Omokore, who allegedly used the vehicles
as payment in return of the favour.
The report quoted an EFCC
official as saying: “We have been interrogating Senator Bassey in the last 12
hours on the allegations against him. One of the allegations against him is how
N303 million worth of vehicles were given out as gifts by the owner of Atlantic
Energy Drilling Concept Limited between July 30, 2010 and January 8, 2014.”
A fact-sheet from the EFCC said:
“The Senator as Commissioner for Finance was also the Chairman of the
Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour Coordinating Committee.
“About N30billion hit the account
managed by the committee during the period. The fund came from Internally
Generated Revenue (IGR) and statutory allocations.
“Following allegation of massive
wiring of the cash into private accounts, the EFCC decided to invite Sen.
Bassey to give account. This agency is looking into allegation of money
laundering against Bassey.
“Detectives have uncovered how
contracts worth N618million to two companies namely Bay Atlantic Energy
Services Limited and Sahel Energy/Power between 2010 and 2014 were awarded. The
companies belong to the owner of Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited Chief
Jide Omokore
“At about the same period,
vehicles worth N303million were given out as gifts to Bassey by the owner of
Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited especially between July 30, 2010 and
January 8, 2014.
“From investigation by
detectives, there is a correlation between the transactions and the gifts. The
Akwa Ibom State Government has refused to make relevant documents available to
the EFCC.”
However, Akpan has denied
receiving kickbacks from Omokore, insisting that the businessman is his friend.
”The vehicles are gifts from
Omokore on the need to ensure my personal safety. I have known him for 19
years. They were also contributions to my governorship campaign in 2014,” Akpan
had said.
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