· Says List Fabrication Designed To Achieve Motives Known Only To The Authors
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has debunked a purported list of ex-governors under investigation for alleged corruption currently in circulation.
The Matrix reports that earlier on Saturday, several reports emerged in the media that 58 former governors were under the radar of the anti-graft agency over allegations of misappropriating the sum of N2.187 trillion over 25 years.
READ ALSO: Dele Momodu Counsels EFCC Chairman On Yahaya Bello
According to the reports, the 58 former governors – drawn from the six regions of the country – were being probed, while others have been investigated, and prosecuted.
Reacting to the reports in a statement on Sunday, the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, described the reports as false and misleading.
He said the “so-called list is a disingenuous fabrication designed to achieve motives known only to the authors.”
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, feels obliged to dissociate itself from a phantom report circulating in sections of the media claiming it has released a full list of ex- governors being investigated for alleged corruption,” the statement read.
READ ALSO: Yahaya Bello: Court Halts Contempt Charges Against EFCC Boss
“The report headlined: “EFCC Releases Full List of 58 Ex- Governors that Embezzled N2 .187 trillion”, in one of the news outlets, is false and mischievous as the Commission neither issued the said list nor entertained discussions on investigation of ex-governors with any news medium.”
The anti-graft agency urged the public to disregard the report, saying “it is false and misleading.”
It also urged media practitioners to crosscheck facts about matters under investigation with the Commission to avoid misleading the public with false and inaccurate reports.
Recently, the EFCC has been probing some former governors over allegations of corruption and misappropriation of public funds.
Among them is the former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, who is being arraigned on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.
