Ex-Gov. Imoke, others quizzed over Diezani's alleged $115million scam

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday quizzed a former governor of Cross Rivers State, Liyel Imoke, for his alleged involvement in the N500million allegedly collected by the chairman of the Cross Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ntufam Okon.

A statement by EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said the N500m was part of the $115m allegedly lodged in Fidelity Bank Plc, in controversial circumstances, during the 2015 electioneering campaign period by the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Mr. Uwujaren said a former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Lucky Imasuen, and a former Secretary to the Government of Edo State, Osagie Ize Iyamu, were also interrogated by operatives of the EFCC for receiving N700million( Seven Hundred Million Naira) from the $115million slush fund.

The money was reportedly collected from Fidelity Bank Plc, Mission Road, Benin City branch, on March, 2015.

Mr. Iyamu, a PDP presidential campaign coordinator in the 2015 presidential election, admitted to collecting the money from the bank, Mr. Uwujaren said.

The statement added, “He told EFCC’s interrogators that he went to the bank on that fateful day with Imasuen and a former House of Representatives member representing Edo Central, Tony Azeigbemi (who is yet to be arrested by the EFCC) and the money was handed over to them by an official of the bank.

“Both Imasuen and Iyamu signed for the collection of the money.

“Investigations by the EFCC showed that the two politicians conveyed the money from the bank in a bullion van to the residence of a top politician in Edo State.

“The Commission is on the trail of the politician for the recovery of the money.