The civic organisation made the call in a petition to the Uyo Zonal Command of the EFCC, alleging that the corruption and criminal diversion of public funds were carried in the Cross River state government between the period of December 2020 to date on the Cargo and Passenger Airport Project in Obudu.
A civil group, the Leadership and Accountability Initiative, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to probe former Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, and Dr Jacob Otu-Enyia, former member of the State House of Assembly over alleged corruption, fraud and criminal diversion of N18billion Value Added Tax (VAT) from the Obudu International Cargo and Passengers Airport Project.
The civic organisation made the call in a petition to the Uyo Zonal Command of the EFCC, alleging that the corruption and criminal diversion of public funds were carried in the Cross River state government between the period of December 2020 to date on the Cargo and Passenger Airport Project in Obudu.
The petition titled: "A call for investigation and prosecution of former Governor Ben Ayade and Rt. Hon. Dr. Jacob Otu-Enyia over Obudu International Cargo and Passenger Airport Project Massive Corruption, Fraud and Value Added Tax (VAT) diversion to the tune of over 18 billion Naira," was signed by the group's Country Head of Operations, Anngu Orngu.
In urging Nigeria's anti-corruption agency to investigate the former governor and his co-traveller, the group said that its interim investigations had revealed that the sum of over N18billion was alleged to have been stolen and laundered through some companies which did not have any contractual agreement with the Cross River State.
Dated 6 February, the petitioners also disclosed that the Value Added Tax (VAT) deducted from the project had been diverted as there was no trace of remittance of such deductions to the account of the Cross River State.
The petitioner further noted that the Cross River Agricultural Development Company (CRADCO), which owned assorted earth work equipment was used for a direct jobs which the government was paying and at the same time paying the contractor without carrying out any work.
It noted that its investigation revealed that CRADCO had been paid in excess of N800 million from the Cross River Sate Ministry of Aviation through its account with Zenith Bank domiciled in Calabar.
The Leadership and Accountability Initiative, however, appealed to the EFCC for a full scale investigation to unearth more corruption and other fraudulent activities and ensure that those involved were brought to justice.