Diezani: EFCC detains newly appointed MD of First Bank Holdings
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reportedly invited the newly appointed managing director of First Bank of Nigeria Holdings Plc, Nnamdi Okonkwo for questioning.
It was learnt that Okonkwo’s questioning is not unconnected with his alleged role in the transfer of $153m linked with Nigeria’s former petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke from the Nigerian National Petroleum Commission (NNPC).
Reports said he was detained by the anti-corruption agency.
The EFCC had claimed that Diezani siphoned $153m out of the NNPC and stashed it in three banks in the country.
The anti-graft agency had in January 2017 claimed that the former managing director of Fidelity Bank Plc, Okonkwo, allegedly helped Diezani to take delivery of the money, and kept $40m with the former executive director, public sector accountant, First Bank Plc, Mr. Dauda Lawal, in order to conceal the source.
On January 6, the EFCC had approached Justice Muslim Hassan and obtained an interim order, directing that the funds be temporarily forfeited to the federal government.
The banker’s grilling is coming barely three weeks after the announcement by FBN Holdings Plc that Okonkwo will replace Mr U.K. Eke as the group managing director of the company, following the successful completion of Eke’s two-term tenure.
The FBN Holdings Plc’s board said in a statement that Eke tendered his notice of retirement was on August 10, 2021.
According to the statement, Okonkwo will assume office as the GMD of FBN Holdings Plc effective January 1, 2022 as Eke’s retirement will take effect on December 31, 2021.
