A group has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Rivers State government to come clean on the N118bn which was withdrawn over a period of three years at a Zenith Bank counter or face “mass action and protests”.
The group, Network of Defence of Democracy and Good Governance (NDDGG), gave the ultimatum on Sunday in a press releases made available to the media by its leader, High Chief Sabomabo Jackrich.
The group called on the state government to come clean and explain its position within seven day.
“In keeping with our obligation to ensure probity in public office and finances, we issue a seven days ultimatum to the Rivers State Government to publish in full details all that pertain to these transactions or we would lead a peaceful campaign and protest to ensure that justice is served,” the statement read.
In August 2018, the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) revealed that the sum of N117billion belonging to the state was withdrawn across the Zenith Bank Counter within three years, insisting that the manner in which the withdrawals were made were suspicious and violated the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
According to the commission at the time, 45 different cheques were issued in the name of one person on June 8, 2015.
“Again on Sunday, May 24, 2020 another disturbing headline resurfaced “How Rivers officials withdrew N118b in cash – EFCC” on the front page of ‘The Nation’ which contains a detailed report of the alleged transactions by the Rivers State government.
“The said cash was allegedly withdrawn by the Director of Finance, Government House, Fubara Siminalayei, Tonye Uranta and Harisonba Princewill over the counter in suspicious manner.
“One of the officials allegedly withdrew over N70billion in cash, about 129 times over a period of three years. From the reports, the Rivers State Government is alleged to be shielding the relevant officials from reporting to the EFCC for interrogation, citing a perpetual injunction obtained in 2007 barring the EFCC from probing its accounts.
“It was gathered that the cash withdrawals were made between 2015 and 2018 with Siminalayei alone allegedly collecting over N70billion over the counter about 35 times in 2016 and 94 times in 2017.
“The same suspect allegedly withdrew N16.297billion from the bank in cash in 2015.
“In all of these transactions, the bank involved is alleged to have hugely profited, [raking in] over N5billion in service charges at the expense of Rivers State and the people.”
The group called on the state government to desist from accusing the EFCC of witch-hunting and come clean on the said transactions.
“It is not enough to claim media trial or political witch-hunt against the EFCC over these whooping sums. The Rivers State government owes a duty of public trust to explain to Rivers people and publish, bit by bit, every detail of these transactions in the spirit of transparency and the Freedom of Information Act.
“Governor Nyesom Wike has declared that no official of the state government will appear before the EFCC over what he called ‘politically-motivated investigations’, until the commission approaches the Court of Appeal to set aside the 2007 judgment barring the commission from investigating the state.”
Jackrich called on the state government to stop shadow-boxing and fulfil the duty of trust which it owes the people of the state.
“While the state government is engaging the EFCC with all of its defences and justifications, they are not immune from accounting to the people of Rivers State for whom they hold these funds on trust. Hence, we will not allow our own government to continue to embarrass us as a people with very scandalizing reports that portray us in bad light.
“…if, in seven days, the government does not publish…in full details all that pertain to these transactions…we would lead a peaceful campaign and protest to ensure that justice is served,” the statement finished.
