EFCC to arraign Oyo-Ita for ‘fraud’

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it will arraign Winifred Oyo-Ita, former head of service, for alleged fraud on Monday.

In a statement on Sunday, Tony Orilade, EFCC acting spokesman, said Oyo-Ita will be arraigned alongside eight other suspects.

He said the other suspects are Frontline Ace Global Services Limited; Asanaya Projects Limited; Garba Umar and his companies: Slopes International Limited; Gooddeal Investments Limited; Ubong Okon Effiok and his own company, U & U Global Services Limited and Prince Mega Logistics Limited.

Orilade said the nine suspects will be arraigned at the federal high court in Abuja.

“They will be arraigned for fraud in relation to Duty Tour Allowances, DTA; Estacodes; conference fees fraud and receiving kick-backs on contracts,” the statement read.

“During investigation, it was discovered that Oyo-Ita, in her roles in the civil service as Director, Permanent Secretary and Head of Service, used her companies as well as Effiok’s and Umar’s companies as fronts to receive kickbacks from contractors of various ministries and parastatals where she worked.

“The former head of service in collusion with Effiok who was her Special Assistant, along with one Titus Okunriboye Tomsin, made bogus claims of fictitious DTA, Estacodes, conference fees which were paid by the government to the accounts of the suspects.”

A high court had ordered the permanent forfeiture of funds linked to Oyo-Ita over a N3 billion fraud allegation levelled against her the EFCC.