Alleged N3b scam: EFCC probes Head of Service, Oyo-Ita

Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Oyo-Ita

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is probing the Head of Nigeria’s Civil Service, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita over allegations of N3billion contract scam.

Oyo-Ita has been interrogated by the EFCC for alleged abuse of duty tour allowance, money laundering and stealing of government funds.

After a four-day grilling during which she was in custody of the anti-graft agency beginning from August 8, Mrs Oyo-Ita has landed in the hospital after being granted an administrative bail, The Nation Newspaper reports.

She has been given restricted access to visitors at the private hospital in Jabi area of Abuja where she is receiving treatment.

Although the administrative bail was granted so that she could be reporting for further interrogation from her office, she has not been able to return to the anti-corruption agency’s office since she was allowed to go.

About N600million has been traced to the account of one of her key aides who has been unable to give any justifiable explanation for it.

The EFCC has blocked the account and has initiated the process of obtaining an interim forfeiture clause to seize the cash.

Preliminary findings confirmed that about N3 billion has been traced to the Head of Service which came in through proxy companies.

Detectives, it was gathered, uncovered slush funds linked to the Head of Service while probing the activities of a former Minister under who she served as Permanent Secretary.

A source privy to the ongoing investigation said: “Preliminary investigation confirmed that she used different fronts or cronies to obtain contracts from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).