By Olugbenga Salami
Not less than 50 civil society organisations, CSOs under the auspices of Frontiers for Justice and National Renaissance, FJNR, have urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the Police to arrest and investigate the Senator-elect for Anambra North on the platform of Labour Party, Tony Nwoye over alleged financial impropriety, murder, kidnapping and other related crimes.
The groups also wanted the EFCC through its chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa to revisit the case of Nwoye’s alleged complicity in the alleged embezzlement of funds awarded for roads construction by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
Similarly, they called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali to arrest and investigate Nwoye, who was a former member of the House of Representatives to account for allegations of crime, arson, kidnapping and murder recorded in Anambra State from 2004.
The FJNR, in a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Comrade Promise Uwakilu and made available to our correspondent in Abuja, urged the Police to investigate the former lawmaker over his alleged involvement in the gruesome murder of late popular Anambra lawyer, Barrister Barnabas Igwe and his wife, Abigail as well as the burning down of the government properties.
The statement read in parts: “As we look forward to the full commencement of a new politics dispensation at all arms of government, it is pertinent that all elected and appointed public office holders are subjected to scrutiny for accountability in the use public resources utilisations, or how they exercise the power and authority given to them
“It is on the above premise that we urge the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa and the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police, Usman Alkali Baba to immediately commence criminal proceedings against Mr. Tony Nwoye, a Senator-elect from Anambra North.
“We recall that in November 2022 the commission had arrested Tony Nwoye over allegations of embezzlement of contract funds meant for roads construction awarded by Niger Delta Development Commission.
“Also indicted were four other South East National Assembly members for connivance and conspiracy. To the bewilderment of the general public, nothing has been heard after then.
“The funds were meant to construct the deplorable roads in Anambra East/West constituency, but unfortunately till date these roads have become impassable as the funds embarked for their reconstruction were allegedly embezzled by Tony and his accomplices at the National Assembly.
“The name of Tony Nwoye has consistently been mentioned as the arrow head of the crime wave and violent killings in Anambra State from year 2004. Notable amongst them is the gruesome murder of Barrister Barnabas and his pregnant (wife), Abigail Igwe in Onitsha by the ferocious gang code named “Ecomog Gang” which it is alleged to have been led by Tony Nwoye.
“We urge the Inspector General of Police to investigate the culpability of Tony Nwoye and prosecute if found wanting in the mayhem that bedeviled Anambra State in 2004 when virtually all state owned properties were burnt down by criminal gang.
“Listed among the institutions destroyed were the Government House, Awka; Anambra Broadcasting Service, ABS, Awka and the Judiciary headquarters, Awka.
“Furthermore, we call on the IGP as a matter of public interest to investigate the allegations of criminal intent to embezzle public funds following an agreement he (Nwoye) sealed with Anambra- born billionaire businessman man, Prince Arthur Eze in 2017 when he (Tony Nwoye) vied for the governorship position in 2017.
“According to the said agreement, 30 percent of the state’s internally generated revenue, IGR will be allocated to Prince Arthur Eze, Tony Nwoye’s Chief Financial sponsor in that election.
“While we commend both the IGP and the EFCC for their efforts in combating crimes looking at the successes recorded so far, we enjoin them to extend the same effort to the investigation and diligent prosecution of Tony Nwoye for the above listed crimes.”
