Pastor Kelechi Benwosely Esimogu
By Victory Oghene
One of the popular Big Girls with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Group Pastor of Powercity International, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Pastor Kelechi Benwosely Esimogu, has been arrested by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of a large-scale financial scam linked to purported contract deals.
According to a report by SaharaReporters, Esimogu was arrested on Wednesday around 9:30 p.m. at a popular hospitality spot in Wuse, Abuja, by operatives of the anti agency.
She was reportedly picked up without any incident and subsequently taken into custody for further questioning.
EFCC sources said that the arrest followed a petition filed by some private companies alleging that the cleric obtained hundreds of millions of Naira under the pretext of securing lucrative contracts from NDDC where she works.
According to the petitioners, Esimogu allegedly presented herself as having strong influence within the commission and convinced company representatives that she could facilitate the award of high-value projects.
“The petitioners claimed that the suspect failed to carry out the agreed job and instead allegedly diverted the funds to political activities,” one of the sources squealed
“Several attempts by both the complainants and investigators to reach her proved abortive. We traced her location, but she was always evading arrest by frequently changing locations and lodging in different hotels.”
“The company wasn’t the only complainant. Other companies also lodged similar petitions bordering on alleged fraudulent conduct, prompting investigators to conduct a broader, more comprehensive investigation into the matter,” the source said.
Another source added, “Payments were reportedly made in tranches over a period of time. However, the promised contracts never materialized, prompting the company to write to us to investigate.
“We invited her several times, but she didn’t show up, making excuses. However, she has been moving around in her state, Imo, declaring her intention to get involved in politics and contest in the forthcoming election.
“So, investigators are also examining whether any proceeds from the alleged scheme were deployed in political mobilization efforts, including outreach to local stakeholders and influencers.”
When contacted, EFFC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, told SaharaReporters to give him time to contact the “office”.
“Let me call the office; I would get back,” he said.
However, calls put across to him several hours after were not answered, nor returned.
NDDC was established by former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo in 2000 with the sole mandate of developing the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
The agency has, however, been plagued by deep-seated corruption, characterized by over 13,000 abandoned projects, ₦81 billion in irregular expenditures, and ₦40 billion in reckless spending, which have crippled development in Nigeria’s oil-producing region.
Credit: SaharaReporters
