N44m Bribe Scandal: Oteh Did Not Shun EFCC

The Director-General of the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC),Ms Aruma Oteh,? honoured the invitation by? the Economic and Financial crimes Commission (EFCC) on March 24 to clarify the alleged N44m bribery allegation. This was contrary to allegation that she refused to honour the invitation.

The SEC boss was earlier scheduled by the House committee on capital market to appear before the EFCC alongside Hon Herman Hembe to clarify allegations of N44m. Aruma Oteh, had alleged that the House of Representatives’ committee on Capital market, headed at the time by Hon Herman Hembe, had requested for N44m bribe from the Commission.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the reason the SEC boss did not show up at the EFCC Headquarters as slated by the House committee was because the SEC boss had handed over a comprehensive statement made by her to the commission.

Contrary to insinuations that Oteh shunned the EFCC, a source who did not want to be named said that the SEC boss could never have violated the commission’s invitation, but rather was first to tender her written statement as a key witness.

“The SEC boss cannot ignore any invitation by the EFCC when in fact she was the first to tender her statement to the anti- graft agency, the source stated.