A Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr Clement Illoh Onubuogo, was on Wednesday arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) within the premises of a Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged N10b SURE-P fraud.
The EFCC has reportedly invited Onobuogo to their office in order to clear the air over an alleged diversion of N606million SURE-P fund.
EFCC further alleged that Onubuogo converted the funds from the N10billion released by the Federal Government during his supervision of the Subsidy Reinvestment (SURE-P) programme.
The Permanent Secretary was earlier arraigned for allegedly not declaring some of his hidden cash assets.
EFCC said he failed to declare N97,300,613.44, $139,575.50 and £10,121.52 found in three of his bank accounts.
Onubuogo pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned before Justice Babs Kuewumi.
Onubuogo’s lawyers A Dada and T. S. Awhana said the defendant was very ill and asked for an adjournment to enable him to get treatment.
Justice Kuewumi, however, noted that he adjourned several cases so that more time could be spent on the trial but obliged to the adjournment.
EFCC’s lawyer Rotimi Oyedepo, however, walked in after the judge had adjourned the case.
The defence counsel who were already on their way out also returned to the courtroom to complain to the judge that Onubuogo had just been arrested.
Dada faulted EFCC for arresting his client, who he said was already on bail, and denied that his client shunned invitation.
But, Oyedepo said no law stops anyone undergoing trial from being re-arrested for another criminal matter.
“The money belongs to all of us and we should all support efforts towards recovering it,” Oyedepo said.
The judge said having already adjourned the case, there was nothing he could do about the Permanent Secretary being re-arrested in court.
Onubuogo had on September 8 objected to EFCC’s application seeking the final forfeiture of N664,475,246.6 and $137,680.11 allegedly recovered from him.
The court had earlier ordered the interim forfeiture of the money following an August 15 motion ex-parte application by the EFCC.
Justice Abdulazeez Anka, who ordered the interim forfeiture, also authorised the EFCC to seize a property described as “Clement Illoh’s Mansion” at Ikom Quarters, Issala-Azegba in Delta State and a hotel on 19, Madue Nwafor Street, off Achala Ibuzo Road, Asaba, Delta State.
The matter was adjourned until November 30 for trial.
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