Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio was reportedly grilled on Friday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC in Abuja.
While sources in the Niger Delta ministry confirmed the development to The Heritage Times, the details of his invitation by the anti-graft agency was not made public.
The source however added that the minister’s appearance at the EFCC headquarters was in accordance to an invitation by the commission.
Sahara Reporters had reported that Akpabio and five other of his aides, were detained for two hours on Monday, April 12 by the EFCC, after the minister attempted to bribe the EFCC boss, Abdulrasheed Bawa with $350,000 (about N135 million).
It was learnt that the meeting between Akpabio and Bawa was arranged by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who was recently embroiled in a N5 million bribery controversy himself.
Akpabio was said to have carried the $350,000 in cash personally to Bawa before he was detained, afer which it took a call from the Aso Villa to the EFCC Chairman to get Akpabio and his aides released.
Also, in August last year, Akpabio and the Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Professor Daniel Pondei, were invited by the EFCC over allegations of N40 billion fraud perpetrated in the NDDC under the supervision of Akpabio.
As at the time of filing this report, EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwajaren, did not take calls placed across to him.
Details soon…
