EFCC to arraign Oyo-Ita, former HOS for fraud

Yusuf Bello| The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Sunday said it will arraign Winifred Oyo-Ita, former head of service.

Tony Orilade, the acting spokesman for the anti-graft agency, said in a statement that Oyo-Ita will be arraigned alongside eight others on Monday at a federal high court, Abuja.

Orilade listed the other suspects as, Frontline Ace Global Services Limited; Asanaya Projects Limited; Garba Umar and his companies: Slopes International Limited; Gooddeal Investments Limited; Ubong Okon Effiok and his own company, U & U Global Services Limited and Prince Mega Logistics Limited.

The statement read in part, “They will be arraigned for fraud in relation to Duty Tour Allowances, DTA; Estacodes; conference fees fraud and receiving kick-backs on contracts.”

“During investigation, it was discovered that Oyo-Ita, in her roles in the civil service as Director, Permanent Secretary and Head of Service, used her companies as well as Effiok’s and Umar’s companies as fronts to receive kickbacks from contractors of various ministries and parastatals where she worked.

“The former head of service in collusion with Effiok who was her Special Assistant, along with one Titus Okunriboye Tomsin, made bogus claims of fictitious DTA, Estacodes, conference fees which were paid by the government to the accounts of the suspects.”