MD of Zenith Bank, Peter Amangbo
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has reportedly
detained the MD of Zenith Bank, Peter Amangbo over a series of
transactions his bank allegedly carried out on behalf of Rivers State,
according to Premium Times.
He was arrested after EFCC alleged that the transactions, at least
N117 billion in value, are suspicious in nature but that Zenith failed
to report them as demanded by law. According to reports, Amangbo was
held to explain why his bank failed to document the withdrawals,
allegedly done over a three-year period, as suspicious.
Amangbo was first invited for questioning on August 23, but he was
freed on administrative bail and asked to return on August 24 for
further interrogation. He honoured the arrangement, turning himself in
again at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, he was however not allowed to
return home on Friday.
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers slammed the investigation as
“political witch-hunt” saying he would continue to prevent state
officials from appearing before the EFCC for questioning.
“No government official will appear before the EFCC,” Mr Wike
was quoted as saying in a statement his spokesperson Simeon Nwakaudu
sent to PREMIUM TIMES Sunday night. The governor said an Appeal Court
judgement in 2007 prohibited the EFCC from prying into Rivers State
coffers, a ruling he claimed had not been appealed. They filed for leave
to appeal the judgment at the Court of Appeal. Until they set aside the
judgment, we will not come” Wike said, adding that a fresh lawsuit would be filed to stop the EFCC investigation of Rivers accounts.