A bank account allegedly belonging to a wanted ex-militant, Government Ekemupolo alias Tompolo has been frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The anti-graft agency reportedly found N3billion in the account and froze it pending the outcome of court processes, The Punch reports.
An EFCC operative who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “During investigations into the fraud at NIMASA (Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency), we traced about N3billion to a bank account, which is owned by Tompolo.
“The account has since been frozen in accordance with Section 34 (1) of the EFCC Act 2004 which empowers the commission to freeze any account suspected of being used for financial crimes.”
Tompolo is being investigated by the EFCC on allegations of fraud, conversion of money and forgery.
He has been on the run since February 2016.
On April 18, he was arraigned in absentia alongside a former director-general of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi, for an alleged N47.7bn fraud.
The accused persons were alleged to have, between May 6, 2014, and December 2, 2014, forged and uttered a Certificate of Customary Rights of Occupancy of the old Bendel State of Nigeria, and purportedly issued same to NIMASA, claiming that it was issued by the Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State, to the prejudice of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
They were also alleged to have received sum of N11,900,000,000 from the federal government, by falsely pretending that all the land and its appurtenances lying and situated at Mieka Diva Training Institute, Kurutie, Warri South LGA, Delta State, be acquired by the NIMASA, for the temporary campus of Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Warri South.
A week ago, the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force alleged that Tompolo had fled to Libya to avoid being prosecuted.
However, Israel Akpodoro, the national president of the National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, has said Tompolo was still in the country and the claims by the militant group was false.
