Former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has been released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after spending over 10 hours at their Makurdi office. Ortom had reported to the EFCC’s Zonal Office on Tuesday morning in response to an invitation from the agency. He was invited to address allegations related to his eight-year tenure as governor.
After a full day at the Commission, the former governor was seen leaving the EFCC office at around 7:55 pm in a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), accompanied by friends and associates who had patiently waited for his release at a nearby hotel.
In a statement released by his media aide, Mr. Terver Akase, shortly before his release, it was clarified that Ortom was not arrested by the EFCC. Akase stated that Ortom visited the EFCC voluntarily to honor their invitation, contrary to speculations in certain media outlets. The statement reiterated Ortom’s willingness to cooperate with anti-graft agencies, as he has nothing to hide regarding his stewardship of Benue State.
Notably, no EFCC official provided information regarding the purpose of the former governor’s visit to their office.