Breaking News: Ortom In EFCC Custody

Samuel Ortom, the immediate former Governor of Benue State, is now in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to punch newspaper, the ex-Governor was summoned by the anti-graft authority to be questioned about his management.

Ortom, on the other hand, drove into the agency’s Makurdi zonal office, which is located on Alor Gordon street in the state capital, at exactly 10:08 a.m. , He stepped right inside the structure.

Terver Akase, the previous governor’s media adviser, and Abraham Kwanhgu, the Principal Special Assistant on Special Duties, were seen with him.

As of 11:25 a.m., when this report was submitted, he had not left the premises.

Recall that Ortom handed over a debt profile of N187.7 billion to the administration of Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia.

Ortom at a brief ceremony held at the old banquet hall of Government House in Makurdi, told Alia that the handover notes in three volumes were summary of his eight years administration.

The governor explained that the total income of the state during his eight years sojourn amounted to N734.9billion as at April 2023 while the total debt incurred by the state within the period stood at N187.7billion inclusive of unpaid salary, pension arrears, loans and bonds among others.

He also intimated his successor of a debt swap/reduction arrangement between the state and the Federal Government to the tune of N97.716billion.

Ortom explained that with an expected inflow of N48billion, after discount, the negotiated debt swap would be reduced to N45.2billion, thereby bringing down the state’s total debt profile.