Governor Okorocha Jets Out of Nigeria, As EFCC Probes Diversion of N2bn Bailout Fund

Thisday Newspaper is reporting that Imo state governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has jetted out of the country as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) beams the searchlight on the alleged diversion of over N2 billion from the bailout fund given to the state by the federal government for the payment of civil servants salaries.

The EFCC had rounded up three senior aides of the governor in connection of the diversion of the bailout money.

Those arrested by the commission included the principal secretary to the governor, Dr. Paschal Obi, who was until his appointment a deputy director in the Ministry of Health, in charge of optical services, Director of Finance, Government House, Casmir Uzoho, and Government House Treasurer, Iheoma Kenneth.

Okorocha, who had expressed regrets for accessing the bailout fund from the federal government lamented that the money had put the state in a mess.

According to him, the N26 billion the state took from the Federal Government that was used to pay agitating workers has put Imo in trouble as more money is being deducted from the state’s federal allocation than anticipated.