No plan to freeze Rivers accounts – EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed the allegation by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, that it is planning to block the state government’s accounts. The Head of EFCC office in Port Harcourt, Nnaghe Obono Itam, made the clarification in a statement on Tuesday. Governor Wike had during chat with journalists during the 2018 Democracy Day celebration said intelligence report at his disposal revealed that the EFCC was making plans to block the state government’s accounts. But Itam dismissed the claim, saying “people alleged several things against government institutions. What we are saying is that whether it is in the South South or Rivers State, we should imbibe the anti-corruption culture. “Yes there is subsisting judgement obtained during the time of Governor Peter Odili that bars either the EFCC or the Federal Government agencies from investigating the finances of Rivers State, except through a complaint from the state House of Assembly. “If they are satisfied that their accounts are being properly managed there is no problem. But I am not aware that any EFCC office, whether here or in Abuja is looking for Rivers State government accounts to block. Their accounts are not hidden, they are not spirits, they are known because they run in money deposit banks. It is not secret, nobody wants to block any account, any account that is blocked, the bank will tell me.”]]>