A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and spokesman of Bayelsa State governorship candidate, Timipre Sylva, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged multi-billion naira contract scam at the Amnesty Programme.

The spokesman, Miebi Bribena, who was said to be a major beneficiary of the Amnesty Programme, was arrested early yesterday by EFCC operatives.

He was taken to the agency’s headquarters in Wuse in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, where he was quizzed for several hours. He was still being detained at the EFCC office at the time of filling this report.

It was gathered that Bribena was being interrogated over allegations that he absconded after collecting heavy mobilisation fees from the Amnesty office without executing the contract for which the money was paid for.

Sources close to the agency confirmed Bribena’s arrest intimating that he actually collected about 95 per cent of the contract sum but there was nothing on the ground as structures to justify the amount collected and he was accordingly arrested to account for his action.

While commenting on Bribena’s arrest, the Director of Publicity of the Restoration Campaign Organisation, Jonathan Obuebite, in a statement in Yenagoa, the state capital, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his courage to go after criminal elements within his party, the APC and charged him to do more as he said there were others like Bribena parading themselves on the streets of Yenagoa.

He stated that President Buhari’s stance to go after APC members with criminal past in Bayelsa State, was an indication that joining APC will not prevent anyone who breaches the law from arrest and prosecution, urging him to do more.

He stated: “President Buhari must be commended for the arrest of Miebi Bribena and we urge him to go after others like him who believe joining APC will prevent them from any arrest. A criminal is a criminal whether you are a flagbearer or spokesman. We are beginning to see that the so-called “federal might” being orchestrated by APC in the state as instrument of protection is a hoax afterall. Being a member of APC does not grant you immunity from being arrested and standing trial for prosecution. This is important especially for Mr. President’s cherished integrity and his place in history. That’s what leadership is all about.”

•Photo shows EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu.

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