AJOKE PHILIP
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arrested and detained the newly appointed Managing Director of First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Holdings Plc, Nnamdi Okonkwo.
Though, details of Mr Okonkwo’s arrest remained sketchy Sunday night but, some sources said he was being questioned over his role in the transfer of $153.3 million from the Nigerian National Petroleum Commission in favour of Diezani Alison-Madueke, former petroleum minister when he was the managing director of Fidelity Bank at the time.
BUSINESSinsiderng reports that the board of FBN Holdings Plc had on October 28 appointed Mr Okonkwo the new GMD of the company with effect from January 1, 2022. He will succeed U.K. Eke, who will step down on December 31, according to the company’s note to the Nigerian Exchange Limited.
The banker has remained in EFCC custody for at least three days, a source said, adding that it was unclear when he would be allowed to go home.
The EFCC had on April 28, 2016 detained Mr Okonkwo over the same matter and later slammed a 14-count charge, including money laundering, on him.
The status of the case is unclear as of the time of filing this report.
It is also unclear if there are fresh evidences against the banker which has now necessitated a fresh round of investigation.
When BUSISNESSinsiderng contacted the EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, in a text message on Sunday night, he declined to make any comments as calls and text messages sent to him were not replied