The newly appointed Managing Director of First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Holdings Plc, Nnamdi Okonkwo has been grilled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Okonkwo’s grilling is said to be connected with his alleged role in the transfer of $153 million linked with Nigeria’s former petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke from the Nigerian National Petroleum Commission (NNPC).
Though there were reports that he was also detained by the anti-corruption agency, details are still sketchy as of the time of filing this report, Punch reports.
The EFCC had claimed that Diezani siphoned $153 million out of the NNPC and stashed it in three banks in the country.
The EFCC had on April 28, 2016 detained Mr Okonkwo over the same matter and later slammed 14 counts, including money laundering, on him. The status of the case was unclear as of the time of filing this report.
It is also unclear if there is fresh evidence against the banker which has now necessitated a fresh round of investigation. EFCC officials contacted declined to provide details.
FBN Holdings Plc, the holding company of First Bank of Nigeria recently announced Nnamdi Okonkwo as its new Group Managing Director.
This appointment took effect from January 1, 2022.
This comes after the board of directors accepted the voluntary retirement of Group Managing Director Mr. U.K. Eke, MFR with effect from December 31, 2021, having served for two terms.
