…Former finance chief decries year-end invites to Abuja

A former Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development in Abia State, Dr. Philip Nto, has expressed frustration over what he called “unending harassment” by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He accused the anti-graft agency of issuing incessant end-of-the year invitations that have not resulted in a formal charge n the past nine years.

Nto, who currently lectures at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture at Umudike, urged the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to review his case file and clarify the nature of the accusations against him.

He sought to know why the EFCC had continued to investigate him without charging him to court since the investigation began nine years ago.

The former commissioner, who served under ex-Governor Theodore Orji from 2013 to 2015, said he recently received another invitation through a text message from the EFCC, giving him less than a day to report to its Abuja office to address an unspecified “grey areas”.

Nto expressed frustration over EFCC’s repeated demands for him to travel to Abuja, especially towards the end of each year.

The former commissioner said he had requested the commission to give him a week to prepare and report to its Enugu office instead.

He said his request was denied and EFCC officers continued to threaten him with arrest.

Nto challenged the EFCC to either charge him to court, if it has a valid case against him or conclude the investigation.

The Nation