EFCC Seals Multi-Billion Naira Enugu Mall
Wed, Jul 26, 2017 | By publisher
Politics
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday sealed the multi-billion naira Enugu Mall occupied by SPAR, a multinational retail outlet. EFCC officers stormed the building in the early hours of the day and dispersed all the workers.
The Head of Public Affairs of EFCC, Chris Oluka, confirmed the incident, saying that the managers of the building flouted the directive of EFCC on the construction of the building.
Oluka said that the officers from Abuja raided the mall and dispersed workers, who were recently recruited, ahead of official opening of business on Friday. “Yes, our men went there to disperse them because they flouted our instructions. We had sealed the premises and wrote ‘under EFCC investigation’, but they covered the write-up with paint,” he said.
It would be recalled that the commission had earlier in the year sealed the mall, located beside the Enugu State House of Assembly, by writing the inscription ‘Under EFCC Investigation’. However, construction work continued at the site.
Johnson Babalola, the Zonal Head of Operations in EFCC South East, had during an earlier interaction with newsmen, said it was not against any known law for the owners to go ahead with construction work. Babalola said that since the property was not yet under permanent forfeiture to the government, “construction work can still go on while investigations continue.”
On the new development, Oluka, however, said that allowing the business to operate in the building could jeopardise investigations. “I do not have much to say about this because the officers that dispersed the workers this morning came from Abuja,” Oluka said.
On the invitation of the manager of the mall to the zonal office of the commission after the workers were dispersed, Oluka said it should not be misconstrued as an arrest. “They were invited to come and explain why they did what we told them not to do,” Oluka said.
Some workers at the mall, however, expressed displeasure over the incident, describing it as anti-labour. Some of the newly recruited workers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were worried because EFCC officials swooped on the mall just two days to the official opening.
One of the workers said, “We are surprised this can happen at a time the government is preaching job creation. Over 250 of us were employed by this company and we are not certain what will happen next. We are appealing to the authorities concerned to look into it urgently and save us from continued hardship.”
Efforts to reach the managers failed as they were all at the EFCC office for interrogation as at the time of this report. (NAN)
Related Posts
![](https://i0.wp.com/realnewsmagazine.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/image-290.png?fit=306%2C165&ssl=1)
Community leaders risk jail term for illegal devt levy-Delta Govt
DELTA Government says 2-year jail term awaits anyone caught collecting development levies or any form of fees from public or...
Read More![](https://i0.wp.com/realnewsmagazine.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/image-286.png?fit=311%2C162&ssl=1)
Take steps to mitigate effects of fuel price hike, NIM urges FG
THE Nigerian Institute of Management has urged the Federal Government to take urgent steps to forestall economic hardship occasioned by...
Read More![](https://i0.wp.com/realnewsmagazine.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/image-284.png?fit=303%2C166&ssl=1)
APC faults Edo Govt’s decision to suspend school resumption over fuel hike
APC has described as “expensive political gimmickry” the decision of the Edo Government to suspend indefinitely the resumption date for...
Read MoreMost Read
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Keep abreast of news and other developments from our website.