N200m loan scam: EFCC clears 20 Ogun teachers

The operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission were said to have cleared the first batch of 20 public secondary school teachers in Ogun State, who honoured the invitation of the anti-graft agency over a N200m loan scam under investigation.

The loan scam was allegedly perpetrated in one of the old generation banks (name withheld).

The PUNCH had reported on Monday that 120 teachers would be interrogated by the anti-graft agency to explain their involvement in the matter.

The affected secondary school teachers, mostly from Abeokuta South Local Government Area, had denied ever having obtained any loan from the bank.

The teachers invited were 120 and they were divided into six batches.

The first batch was made up of 20 teachers who were guests of the anti-graft agency on Monday, at its headquarters in Lagos, where they were quizzed.

One of the sources, privy to the session, told our correspondent that there was a discovery that none of the 20 teachers at any point in time obtained the said loan from the bank.

The source said the passport photographs provided by the bank did not tally with the faces of the teachers and all the addresses provided did not correspond with the teachers’.

It was also discovered that nearly all of the 20 teachers had no account with the bank and that the state Teaching Service Commission had no hand in the matter.

The source said, “The first batch of the 120 secondary school teachers alleged to have obtained a N200m loan from the bank have been vindicated. Their names were dropped randomly by the bank officials. The passport photographs on the forms filled in obtaining the loan did not tally with their faces and also the addresses provided were totally different.

“It was also discovered that nearly all the teachers did not operate any form of accounts with the bank. The appearance of the remaining 100 teachers is just a formality and it was also clear that TESCOM knew nothing about it and it equally did not have any account with First Bank.

“The teachers were treated well by the EFCC. There was no intimidation or harassment. The first set came back rejoicing. The anti-graft agency is now beaming its searchlight on some officials of the bank.”