BEVERLY HILLS, August 7, (THEWILL) – These are not the best of times for Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State as the state accounts domiciled in commercial banks have been frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as part of investigations into allegations of money laundering against the embattled governor who recently defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Senior government officials told the media that the effected accounts are in First Bank Limited, Fidelity Bank and GTB.
The officials confirmed that the freeze order was obtained from a judge and that the administration will find it hard to meet its financial obligations because of the development.
The state has struggled to pay salaries and is believed to owe some categories of workers months in unpaid salaries despite receiving billions of naira from the federal government as palliatives outside the usual monthly allocation.
Ortom is also facing an onslaught and political backlash from the ruling party in Abuja following his defection.
“The agenda to shut down Benue State is thickening by the day,” Terver Akase, the governor’s spokesman said.
Benue, one of the main agricultural states in Nigeria, has witnessed multiple attacks orchestrated by deadly militia gangs passing off as herdsmen, who attack villages, killing, destroying properties and stealing livestock.
