The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained the Accountant General of Edo State, Julius Anelu, along with two other government officials, on allegations of suspicious financial withdrawals from the state’s treasury.
According to EFCC sources, Anelu and the other officials are currently in custody as of Friday evening. The arrests stem from alleged massive withdrawals that followed a recent deposit of N24.6 billion into the Edo State government account. Within a week of this deposit, only about N14 billion reportedly remained in the account, raising concerns over the management of public funds.
An EFCC insider stated, “The EFCC made these arrests to protect Edo State’s financial integrity and not to impede its operations, as some have suggested. The commission has been investigating Governor Godwin Obaseki since 2022, and this latest action is in response to significant withdrawals from the state’s derivation account.”
Efforts to reach the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, for comments were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls or messages.
The incident follows recent allegations from Senator Monday Okpebholo, Edo State’s governor-elect, who accused the outgoing administration under Governor Obaseki of engaging in “last-minute borrowings and looting.” In a statement issued on October 16, Okpebholo urged federal authorities, including the EFCC, the police, and the Department of State Services (DSS), to thoroughly investigate the matter.
The EFCC’s investigation into the Edo State finances continues as the state awaits further clarity on the officials’ actions and their impact on the state’s finances.
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