Edo Lawmakers Detained By ''EFCC' Over Forgery

 

                Three principal officers of the Edo State House of Assembly have been arrested and detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged signature forgery.
               The lawmakers are – Speaker Uyi Igbe, Majority Leader, Philip Shaibu and Chief Whip, Folly Ogedengbe.

They were asked to report in Abuja on Wednesday and were still detained at the time of filling this report.
The Chairman, Edo Assembly Committee on Information and Sports, Hon. Kabiru Adjoto, said the trio were being detained by the EFCC for allegedly forging the signature of Hon. Abdularazaq Momoh whose seat has since been declared vacant.
Hon. Momoh, who recently defected to the Peoples Democratic Party was said to be among signatories to the petition that led to the impeachment of former Deputy Speaker, Festus Ebea.
Adjoto, who spoke at a press briefing, urged the EFCC to investigate serious financial crimes committed under the PDP led Federal government rather that pursue impeachment proceedings.
He said the detained lawmakers were denied medical attention despite injuries they sustained during last Saturday attack on them by hired hoodlums.
“Hon. Shaibu was seriously wounded. In fact, three of them were wounded during the attack on us. The Speaker collapsed two times at Abuja. EFCC said they forged the signature of Hon. Razaq Momoh when former deputy speaker, Festus Ebea was impeached.
“When has EFCC become an agency to investigate forgery of signature? When has forgery of signature becomes a financial crime? Impeachment of either Mr. Speaker of deputy speaker is an internal affair of the assembly. EFCC has no business to do with this. We are surprise that the EFCC can reduce itself to investigating a crime that has already been spelt out.”
“It is a criminal matter to forge signature. The punishment is as spelt out in the criminal code. The EFCC was not an establishment to investigate forgery of signature. That they have reduced themselves to this is most unfortunate.
“Information available showed that they are not just acting. Leadership of the PDP is meeting with the EFCC now. We understand that President Goodluck Jonathan has given directives for the Speaker and others to be detained, charged to court and remanded indefinitely,” Adjoto stated.