EFCC strom Warri water factory, dig for “buried money”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, set commotion yesterday among residents around a water factory in Warri, Delta state which they invaded to dig for “buried money”.

A squad of the financial crime bursters, heavily armed men in their red blazon, stormed the De Park Bottling Company owned by Madam Moyegbone Comfort, located Off Ogunu Road in Warri.

A shocked Mr. Emma Omoregha, the company manager confirmed that, “they came in large number and ransacked everywhere, digging up places and even smashing doors.”

A private guard in the company added on anonymity that: “Nobody knew what the operation was about. They did not invite anybody only for the men to descend on the factory in black jeeps (SUVs) and started digging the compound with various instruments.

“They did not entertain question and refused to listen to anybody who asked to know their mission in the premises of the water company,” a staff further told our reporter.

Investigations  gathered that EFCC men failed to unearth the expected stolen treasures after hours of laborious digging with shovels and hoes.

“As they were digging and searching, they were filming. They were disappointed that they did not find anything”, a source revealed. Authorities at the water factory however feared that the the commission might have planted incriminating evidence in the the dug out points in course of the fruitless investigation.

An EFCC source, not involved in the operation, hinted that the squad’s mission to the factory could be connected with a petition filed against the business owners. The water company is reportedly linked with Mr Tuoyo Omatsuli, former Executive Director of Projects at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

A confidant of the recently displaced NDDC director however defended that, “It is glaring that Omatsuli’s dealings at the NDDC were transparent and as a member of the APC, people are jittery that he could be reappointed when the dissolved board is reconstituted.

“We all support the EFCC’s fight against corruption because if not for corrupt leadership of this country we would be far ahead of where we are now.”

“The EFCC under Magu and the heads of the various zones should be wary of people who want to use the agency to settle personal scores and agendas. We are aware that some persons got money to pull off this operation,” the source added.

Contacted, EFCC’s spokesperson, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said he was not aware of the operation, demanding our reporter to avail him more information about the incident.