A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has ordered probe into how funds allocated to 17 Local Government Areas in Abia State from 2019 to 2023 were spent.
Justice Bello Kawu of the court directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to deposit with its Registry, Certified True Copy (CTC) of its investigation report or the detailed status of the funds allocated to the LGAs within the four years.
He also ordered the seizure of international travelling documents of three former officials of the state government.
Those affected are the former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters in the state, Rt. Hon. Prince Christopher Enweremadu; a former aide to the immediate-past Governor of the state, Erondu Uchenna Erondu; and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Deaconess Joy Nwanju.
The trio were listed as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Defendants in the substantive suit marked: FCT/HC/CV/4961/2024, which was brought before the court by an activist, Mr. Chidiebere Ojukwu, who identified himself as a citizen of Abia State and an advocate for transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
Justice Kawu made the orders on the strength of an ex-parte application that was filed before the court by the Plaintiff.
The EFCC was cited as the 4th Defendant in the matter.
Meanwhile, the court, which approved the abridgement of time within which the matter would be heard, also listed some documents the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Defendants should produce before it.
It held that the defendants should within 48 hours of the service of the order on them, declare on oath and file with its Registry, list of all the companies they have interest in, or occupy the position of a Director, as well as Forms CAC7 & CAC 7A of such companies.
Other documents the court requested for, included “Memorandum and article of Association of such companies. Evidence of filing Annual Returns with the Federal Inland Revenue Service and Corporate Affairs Commission from 2019 to date.
“Audited Financial Statement of such companies from 2019 to date. Self-Assessment Forms filed with the FIRS. Individual Tax Clearance Certificate from 2019 to date. List of bank accounts details of such companies (if any). List of individual bank accounts (both domestic and foreign), and list of moveable and immoveable properties (both developed and undeveloped) within Nigeria and outside Nigeria.”
The court also directed that the orders should be served on the 1st to 3rd defendants by substituted means through the Abia State Liaison Office in Abuja.
Justice Kawu adjourned the matter till Monday December 9, even as he ordered the service of all the processes on the EFCC.
The Plaintiff had among other things, prayed the court to determine; “Whether in view of Sections 7 of the amended 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants are not personally liable to refund to the coffers of the Government of Abia State of Nigeria the total sum of money due to the 17 local governments of Abia State from 29th May, 2019 to 29th May, 2023 received from the Federation Account/Consolidated Revenue Fund in excess of five hundred billion naira.
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