EFCC Explains Why It Is Marking And Sealing Up Okorocha’s Houses.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has explained that it marked and sealed up some properties linked to Senator Rochas Okorocha because “the suspects have failed to honour the Commission’s invitation for questioning on the propriety of their acquisition.”

Reports had it that a school belonging to the Rochas Foundation was on July 23, 2019, sealed by operatives of the anti-graft commission; with students barred from gaining entry to their classrooms.

In a statement dispatched to our news desk, the anti-graft commission said it is only doing its job.

“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, wishes to state that its Enugu Zonal Office on Tuesday July 23, 2019 marked some properties traced to the former Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha as well as those of his family members and cronies.

“The marking of the properties which is a fall-out of our painstaking investigation, is as a result of the failure of the suspects to honour the Commission’s invitation for questioning on the propriety of their acquisition.

“The properties include: Dews of Hope Hospital traced to Dr. Paschal Obi, former Principal Secretary to ex-governor Okorocha; Market Square Super Market; All in One Shop; and premises belonging to Imo State Broadcasting Corporation now hosting Rochas Foundation College owned by Senator Okorocha.

“Other properties are: East High Academy and East High College, owned by Okorocha’s daughter, Uloma Okorocha-Nwosu; Royal Spring Palm Hotel and Apartment, a 16 block cum 96 flats and eight bungalow multi-million Naira estate traced to Okorocha’s wife”, the statement read.

The EFCC also denied that it raided the school, harassed students or physically assaulted teachers while sealing up the Rochas foundation college.

“The Commission at no time “raided” nor “harassed” anyone in the course of marking the properties as its operatives, in line with international best practices, informed the occupants of the facilities in good time, before taking the action.

“It is also pertinent to state that the Commission has pictorial and video evidences which put a lie to the claim that Rochas Foundation College was allegedly raided by the EFCC while in session. This could not be so because the school was not in session and could not have had its students harassed as was fed some online media.

“The Commission would ordinarily not bother with any allegation coming from the camp of Senator Okorocha, having noted his penchant for frivolities and propaganda; but this rebuttal has become pertinent in other to clear doubts especially in these days of fake news.

“We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to disregard the antics of some unscrupulous politicians and fraudsters who seek to distract the Commission from holding them accountable for their nefarious activities”.

Okorocha has alleged victimization and witch-hunt from Emeka Ihedioha, who succeeded him as Imo Governor on May 29, 2019.

But Ihedioha’s media team says the governor has nothing to do with Okorocha’s predicament at the hands of the EFCC because Okorocha was already under investigation by the anti-graft body before Ihedioha assumed the reins in May.

Ihedioha has however accused Okorocha of mismanaging resources of Imo State as governor while stopping short of promising to investigate him.

It had reported that there is no love lost between both men.