Missing 1bn: Leaders Drag Former Chairman As Group Raises Corruption Alarm In Oil Rich Delta Community
The current Chairman of the oil-rich Odidi Community, Warri south-west local government area Delta State, Comr. Preye Okrikpa and other community leaders have dragged the former Chairman, Chief Johnny Arigbogha to give account for over One-billion Naira that was allegedly misappropriated and diverted during his tenure.
The current Chairman, Okrikpa, in a press statement, advised Arigbogha to make himself available at the annual town hall meeting before the end of December, 2021 or face stiffer legal actions.
Okrikpa said that “Arigbogha had received fundings for several community projects but the projects were not carried out and there are no records of how the funds were utilized till date.”
The Chairman also called on security operatives, Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), ICPC and relevant anti-graft agencies to investigate the alleged embezzlement and diversion of community funds to personal bank account.
However, A human rights group, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR through its national President, Comr. Keinde Taiga disclosed that Arigbogha had evaded arrests several times and when he was petitioned by concerned citizens, he utilized another department of the Police to arrest his first petitioner, Comr. Bakawei Mamamu.
The CDHR Boss also alleged that Arigbogha has violated the economic rights of the Odidi people and called on him to give account as to how money accrued to his Community through his office was utilized during his regime from 2013 till when he left office, November 2020.
Narrating the situation, Comr. Taiga of CDHR said that “Arigbogha used his connections to escape prosecution. When investigation was ongoing, in one department of the Nigeria Police, Arigbogha then used another department in the police force to arrest one of his first petitioner, Comr. Bakawei Mamamu”.
He said that the former IGP, Muhammad Abubakar Adamu, had directed the matter to STS for investigation into Arigbogha’s misdeeds, yet another department in the police was carrying out same investigation against the first complaint.
Even as the case is still ongoing, Comr. Taiga asserted his suspicion of the police and the force CID being bribed and urged them to steer clear of the case, because the IG had already deployed the Special Tactical Squad, STS to investigate the case.