EFCC arraigns ex-Benue electoral commission chairman over ‘N1.1bn fraud’
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Tersoo Loko, former chairman of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC), and 10 other defendants over an alleged N1.1 billion fraud.
The other defendants are Kuleve Terlumun, Mtomga Manasseh, Ugbede Denen, Tatyough Thaddeus, Angwa Dominic, Uwua Igbawua, Adese Asom Orkuma Emmanuel, Owoicho Odeh, and Mhir Iyenge.
The defendants were brought before the federal high court in Makurdi, the Benue state capital, on a 30-count charge of criminal misappropriation of public funds and money laundering.
M.S. Yusuf, counsel to the EFCC, told the court that the charges stemmed from allegations that Loko diverted funds released for the conduct of the 2020 and 2022 LG elections in Benue state.
According to the prosecution, the electoral commission received N1.6 billion for the two polls, but only N565 million was reportedly used for the exercise, leaving N1.1 billion unaccounted for.
Yusuf alleged that Loko, while serving as BSIEC chairman, personally received several cash payments from the commission and diverted the funds for private use.
He said Loko allegedly took N118 million in cash in 2020 and another N110.9 million in 2022, both recorded as payments to him by the commission.
The prosecution said the alleged acts contravene provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended.
When the charges were read, all the defendants pleaded not guilty.
Following the pleas, Yusuf asked the court for a date to enable the prosecution to open its case.
In a ruling, M.S. Abubakar, the presiding judge, granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N50 million each with one surety in like sum.
The judge directed that the sureties must possess valid international passports and ordered the defendants to deposit their passports with the court registrar.
He adjourned the case to April 24 for hearing and ordered that the defendants be remanded pending the perfection of their bail conditions. atives that portray Nigeria’s security challenges as genocide against a particular religion or group, warning that such claims could deepen mistrust and polarisation.
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“The Council categorically rejects the premeditated false and inflammatory propaganda of a ‘Christian genocide’ narrative and warns that dishonest public discourse fuels division, mistrust, and national instability.”
