Abuja — Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have stormed Abia State in search of the wife of the governor, Mrs. Theresa Odochi Orji, and others over the alleged laundering of over N3.3billion.
A senior EFCC source told LEADERSHIP that the operatives moved into the state last week following a complaint filed by an American, Mrs Miranda Nwadieyi, who is purportedly married to a Nigerian.
Mrs. Nwadieyi was alleged to have been awarded a bogus contract by the wife of the Abia State governor to supply 1,500 units of Chevrolet AVEO cars, four of which had been supplied as sample to the office of the wife of the state governor.AAlso fingered for arrest are the Commissioner for Works and Transport, Kelvin Chima Ogbuaja, and one Mrs. Ifeoma Obiageli Vivian Agu.
Already, the operatives of the EFCC have retrieved one of the cars as exhibit while the others are still with the Abia State government.
LEADERSHIP checks reveal that the contract awarded on October 16, 2007 went sour when the America was informed to open an off-shore covert account to enable the Abia State government pay money into it without public knowledge.
Mrs Nwadieyi was said to have refused, explaining that the American government will not accept such sharp practices.
As a result of this, signs that the said contract would be terminated started towards the end of 2007 after the American had paid about N11.8million to Mr. Ogbuaja.
In January 2008, she was allegedly called on phone and informed that the contract had been terminated and offered an alternative contract for the construct of roads in the state which she turned down and later complained to the EFCC.
The EFCC source, who explained that all the suspects in the bogus contract have gone underground, disclosed: "We have text messages between the Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, his wife and the American concerning the contract and we can tell you it is a case of money laundering".
"The purported off-shore account was to enable them siphon money outside the country without being caught, but when the American refused, they terminated the contract. What will the Abia State government be doing with 1.500 uints of Chevrolet AVEO cars? We have one of the cars and we are still searching for them" the source added.
When contacted, EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Femi Babafemi confirmed that operatives of the commission were in Abia state but declined knowledge of their mission.
Meanwhile, the anti-graft agency is still awaiting official complaint from the government over alleged fraud in the just concluded Under 17 world Cup tournament held in Nigeria, LEADERSHIP gathered.
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