EFCC probes Senator Dickson over alleged fund misappropriation

A former governor of Bayelsa State and  senator representing Bayelsa West in the National Assembly, Senator Seriake Dickson, is was quizzed yesterday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detectives in Abuja.

Dickson, who presented himself to the EFCC office in Jabi, Abuja, following an invitation was  interrogated between  11 am and 5pm

It was learnt that the lawmaker, who had faced allegations of corruption from some Bayelsa indigenes, was being questioned over assets declaration, abuse of office, and misappropriation of public funds during his eight-year rule of the state between 2012 and 2020.

Spokesman for EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the invitation of the former governor.

A member of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bayelsa State, Perekeme Kpodoh, had accused the former governor of mismanaging over N1 trillion which accrued to the state between 2012 and 2019.

Also, a former Commissioner for Lands and Survey under Dickson’s administration, Furoebi Akene accused the senator of accumulating external debts estimated at $32,064,672.74 and a N100 billion domestic debt while in office.

Dickson had denied both allegations.

The anti-graft agency had in January arraigned, Embelekpo Apere, a former Senior Special Assistant on Millennium Development Goals to the ex-governor before the Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

Apere, was arraigned alongside Rollins Amacree, Clever Loveday and a company, Oriazy Global Link Ltd., before Justice Jane E. Inyang on 10-count bordering on alleged conspiracy and procurement fraud to the tune of N864million.