Group wants EFCC, IGP, DSS to probe anti- graft chief

A civil society organization, ‎the Ant-corruption and Integrity Forum has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Nigerian Police and other relevant security agencies to investigate the allegation of fraud levelled against its former Board of Trustees Chairman, Prince kpokpogri.

At a press conference in Abuja, the new chairman of the forum, Ambassador Chris Onwueme, accused the Kpokpogri of using organization to intimidate the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AITEO Group of Companies, Mr. Benedict Peters.

The group suspended Kpokporgri over allegations bothering on abuse of office and appointed Ambassador Chris Onwueme as its interim chairman.

The newly appointed chairman of the Forum in his address said described as unfortunate that the group’s image and integrity is being put to test and hence the resolve to redeem it.

The Forum accused Kpokporgri of abusing his office when he wrote a letter to the chairman of Aiteo Oils and Gas, Chief Benedict Peters, in what appeared to be a deliberate attempt to intimidate the chairman and make him vulnerable to extortion.

According to Onwueme, Kpokpogri, had in a letter to the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies asked EFCC to issue an Interpol arrest warrant on Mr. Peters and to appear before it to answer allegations of massive fraud in the crude oil swap and offshore processing
agreement between Nigerian Nation Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and AITAITEO.

Onwueme led group said the petition against Peter is dated 28th November, 2017.

Onwueme said, “That the letter purportedly written to Mr. Benedict Peters by our association dated 28th November, 2017 with the caption: “Proposed massive protest to compel EFCC to issue an Interpol arrest warrant on benedict peters to appear before it to answer allegations of massive fraud in the crude oil swap and offshore processing agreement between NNPC and AITEO” was covertly written without the consent and approval of the Forum as there was never a decision taken to that effect by the Forum.

“That the claim of writing to the EFCC, the Presidency, the Interpol and the threat of embarking on a massive street protest against Mr. Benedict Peters and his companies was never discussed or agreed on by the Forum.

“That we have commenced the steps for the removal of Mr. Kpokpogri as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees with the Corporate Affairs Commission as he has been expelled from the Forum.

“That I, Ambassador Chris Onwueme, has been appointed to take over as the new Chairman of the Forum to give the Forum a new direction and restore its integrity pending the formal election of new officers in our next General Meeting in July, 2018.

“That we accordingly call on the EFCC, the Nigerian Police Force, the DSS and all other relevant security agencies to investigate, arrest and prosecute Mr. Kpokpogri and his proxies.

Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja