BREAKING: EFCC Arrests Ugwuh, Ex-minister For Alleged N3.6b Loan Fraud

Charles Chukwuemeka Ugwuh, a former minister of commerce and industry, has been detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges of conspiratorial lending fraud totaling around N3.6 billion.

In a statement, the commission’s head of media and publicity, Dele Oyewale, said that the former minister and Chief Geoffrey Ekenma were taken into custody on January 11, 2024, at No. 2, Musa Yar Adua Way, New Owerri, Imo State.

The arrest of the two suspects was said to have followed “a petition to the commission from a new generation bank on the alleged fraud perpetrated through a company, Ebony Agro Industries Ltd., linked to the ex-minister.

 The statement said: “Investigations revealed that Ugwuh and Ekenma, Managing Director, Ebony Agro Industries Ltd., allegedly obtained a loan facility from the bank for the purchase and production of polished rice.

 “However, the suspect, according to the petitioner, failed to meet up his obligations to the bank and all efforts to get him to repay the loan facility proved abortive. The suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.”