TheCable

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested Peter Nwaoboshi, one of the three Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators on the list of alleged looters released by the federal government.

Nwaoboshi, who represents Delta north senatorial district, was listed alongside Stella Oduah from Anambra and Jonah Jang from Plateau.

According to SaharaReporters, the anti-graft agency arrested Nwaoboshi last week following the “corrupt manner” he allegedly purchased a building owned by Delta state, “Guinea House” in Lagos state.

“Yes we arrested Senator Nwaoboshi few days ago based on series of corrupt cases hanging on his neck,” SaharaReporters quoted a source as saying.

“On several occasions he has turned down our invitation extended to him. He is under our custody right now but I won’t give you further details because he will soon be charged to court. But I advise you to also get across to our spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren for further clarifications.”

The online platform said it gathered that Okowa is behind the current predicament of Nwaoboshi.

Nwaoboshi is said to have fallen out with Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta state governor, over plans to stop him from returning to the red chamber in 2019.

The online publication said a commissioner in Okowa’s cabinet as confirming that there is a rift between Okowa and Nwaoboshi.

“Though I seriously frowned against the fraudulent manner Senator Peter Nwaoboshi purchased the state asset known as Guinea House located in Lagos, I can authoritatively confirm to you that the governor is the mask behind the senator’s current hurting by the commission,” the source reportedly said.

“Last year, the governor through his principal secretary, Mr. Hilary Ibegbulem hired some youths to stage a mass protect against Nwaoboshi at the national assembly but the plan later failed.

“The governor had always before now through his principal secretary, Mr. Ibegbulem used some boys which I don’t to mention now to sponsor petitions against Nwaoboshi and other political opponents in the state which he perceived as enemies. Go and write it down, I can confide in you that the governor has already struck a deal with the commission’s officials and in the few months to come the officials of the commission in its Benin city office in Edo state will turn Delta state to a sort of mecca for arrest of political opponents especially government officials served in the immediate past administration.”

Confirming the arrest of the senator, one of his loyalists who simply identified himself as Nkem, was said to have told SaharaReporters, that “Yes our oga as we talk is in EFCC custody since last week and I can tell you that was the handiwork of governor Ifeanyi Okowa. There are series of petitions being sponsored by the governor against Nwaoboshi and everything is being handled by Okowa’s hitman, Hilary. They governor has boasted to spend his last kobo to see that Nwaoboshi does not go back to the senate in 2019. Check page 36, today’s Vanguard Newspaper for our full page advert calling for the immediate release of our oga.”

TheCable could not reach Uwujaren for comment as of the time this report was filed as his telephone line was out of reach.