Ex-HOS Oyo-Ita received bribes from contractors, claimed fake estacodes – EFCC

The anti-graft agency, EFCC, says it will arraign the immediate past Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, on Monday for alleged N3 billion graft.

According to a statement signed by the commission’s acting spokesperson, Tony Orilade, on Sunday, she will be arraigned before Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The ex-HOS was arrested August last year, for alleged abuse of duty tour allowance, money laundering and stealing of government funds and released on administrative bail after spending four days in the custody of the commission.

She was subsequently sacked in September after about N600 million was allegedly found in the bank account of her aide.

The EFCC alleged that about N3 billion was traced to her, money said to be kickbacks on contracts, illegal estacodes and duty tour allowance received from the government.

Mr Orilade said the accused would be arraigned alongside her special assistant, Ubong Effiok; Frontline Ace Global Services Limited; Asanaya Projects Ltd.; Garba Umar and his companies, Slopes International Ltd.; Gooddeal Investments Ltd.

Other defendants include U & U Global Services Ltd., belonging to Mr Effiok and Prince Mega Logistics Ltd.

According to the statement, they would be arraigned for fraud in relation to DTA, estacodes, conference fees fraud and receiving kickbacks 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 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 Tomsin, made bogus claims of fictitious DTA, estacodes, conference fees which were paid by the government to the accounts of the suspects,” the EFCC said.