The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has traced billions of unaccounted funds to
Theodore Orji, former governor of Abia State and also a former chief of staff of now-jailed ex-governor of the state Orji Uzor Kalu, as well as sons of Theodore, Chinedum
Orji Eyinanya, who is currently the speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly and
Ogonna Orji.
This comes following a petition filed by the Fight CORRUPTION: Save Nigeria
Group on March 17, 2017. To this effect, the EFCC launched an investigation and has so far discovered about 100 accounts in different banks, with over 80 per cent of the accounts still very active which are linked to Chinedum Orji Eyinanya who is Theodore’s first son.
According to the petition, diverted funds include ₦ 383 billion revenue from federal accounts,
₦ 55 billion Excess Crude Revenue, ₦ 2.3 billion Sure – P, ₦1.8 billion Ecological Funds,
₦10.5 billion loans from First Bank of Nigeria through the ministry of chieftaincy and local government affairs. N4 billion loans from Diamond Bank, ₦12 billion Paris Club refund, ₦2
billion agricultural loans for farmers and ₦55 billion ASOPADEC.
Investigations have shown that ₦500 million was withdrawn monthly while he served as the
chief of staff in 2007, he continued to draw the ₦500 million cash monthly from June 2007
to May 2015 when he became governor.
The ₦500 million, an investigation revealed, is aside of the security funds spent on the Nigerian
Police, The Nigerian Army, DSS, Navy anti-Kidnapping Squad, anti-robbery squad,
purchase of security equipment and vehicles for the security agencies.
Further investigations by EFCC has revealed that about 100 corporate and Individual accounts connected to Theodore’s first son received so much deposit in cash without evidence of job or services rendered.
Worthy of note is the Abia States Internally generated revenue, FAAC allocation, Domestic Debt and External Debt.