Samuel Ortom, the former Governor of Benue State, has reportedly been taken into custody by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for questioning regarding his tenure in Benue State. Daily Trust reported that Ortom was invited by the anti-graft body and arrived at the EFCC office on Alor Gordon Street in Abuja promptly at 10:08 am. Without hesitation, he entered the building, accompanied by his aides, Terver Akase and Abraham Kwanhgu.
At the time of writing this update, Ortom remains engaged in a closed-door meeting with EFCC officials. It should be noted that during the recent inauguration ceremony of the new state governor, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, Ortom handed over a comprehensive debt profile of N187.7 billion to the incoming administration. This debt profile, which consisted of three volumes of handover notes, summarized Ortom’s eight-year tenure as governor.
During his disclosure to Alia, Ortom revealed that the total income generated throughout his eight-year administration amounted to ₦734.9 billion as of April 2023. However, he also acknowledged that the total debt incurred during this period reached ₦187.7 billion, encompassing unpaid salaries, pension arrears, loans, bonds, and other financial obligations.
