The Edo State Government on Sunday raised the alarm that the arrest of its Accountant General, Mr. Julius Anelu, and four other officials of the State’s Treasury Office will no longer enable it to meet basic responsibilities and obligations.
The government also added that it would ground its activities and governance.
Recall that Newspot reported last Friday that the Accountant General and four other officials of the Edo State Government were arrested by the anti-graft agency for being signatories to the state government’s accounts.
Chris Nehikhare, the State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, raised the alarm while confirming the arrest of the government officials.
Nehikhare said the officials were arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an already paid agricultural facility loan.
He confirmed the arrest of the officials in a statement titled “Edo Accountant General, four others invited by EFCC over an already repaid loan facility, officers detained to cripple govt, governance,” made available to newsmen in Benin City.
He said the officials were invited to provide necessary answers as required by the EFCC Benin Zonal Office last Thursday, but were instead arrested and detained in the Abuja office of the agency.
He added that the arrest of the government staff was subsequent to the EFCC letter of invitation dated October 28, 2024.
“The EFCC seems intent on crippling governance in Edo State and acting out a script that portends grave danger to democracy.
“The reason for the invitation of these civil servants is clear; contrary to the invitation letter, it is to keep them in EFCC custody till November 12, on the day of the termination of this government.
“In fact, from Monday, the government will be grounded and will no longer be able to meet basic responsibilities and obligations,” he said.
The Commissioner stated that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a letter dated October 28, 2024, invited four officials from the Edo State Treasury Office, including the Accountant General, Julius Anelu, to its Benin Office.
According to him, the letter of invitation, addressed to the Secretary to the State Government and titled “Loans and Agricultural Interventions Granted to Edo State Government from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) from 2018 to date,” pertains to an agricultural facility that has since been repaid by the State Government.
“The government officers, including the State Accountant, on Thursday, honored the invitation as requested at the Benin Office of the EFCC to provide necessary answers.
“However, upon realizing that one of the invited officials was no longer a signatory to the government account, the EFCC released the officer and requested the current signatory, whose name was not initially on the invitation letter.
“The said officer is now also being detained by the agency in Abuja, in addition to the others who were originally invited and honored the invitation,” he added.
Nehikhare, who alleged that the anti-graft agency was acting out a script, noted that the action portends grave danger to democracy.
While describing the action as most condemnable and reprehensible, he urged the EFCC to act responsibly in the interest of democracy, justice, peace, and the well-being of the Edo people by immediately releasing the government officials.
The Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, who also advised the agency not to throw Edo State into chaos, posited that the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led government runs a transparent and accountable government.
He also added that the government runs until November 12, 2024, and that unconstitutional actions should not be taken to hinder its operations.
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