Barrister George Turnah in more trouble as Bayelsan protest against for further prosecution

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Written by Bodmas Kemepadei
More trouble seems to have inflicted the Godson to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Barrister Alabh George Turnah, as his kinsmen, Youths and women from his home state staged a massive protest against him on Tuesday 30th may at the YENAGOA capital, calling on further Prosecution by the EFCC and also asking for returns of all funds amounting to billions, alleged to have been looted from the Niger Delta Development commission  (NDDC), during his time as S.A to the commission.

The protesters alleged that the funds found in his possession as revealed by the EFCC, was meant for the development of the Niger Delta region, which was diverted during the past administration.

It could be recalled that Barr. Alabh George Turnah, was arrested by the EFCC, taken to court and was remanded in Kirikiri prison on corruption charges, as delivered by Justice Ibrahim Watilat of the Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday. Though his lawyer has been told to apply for bail
He is facing a 12-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretense, money laundering and abuse of office to the tune of N3, 094, 268, 235.69.

The angry protesters staged a demonstration in support of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the arrest and detention of Mr. George Turnah, the godson to former President Goodluck Jonathan and former special adviser to an erstwhile Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The youths, under the aegis of the Concerned Citizens of Bayelsa state and led by their coordinators, Chief Harrow Zuokomor and Comrade Abule Bethel, said though the state was still in shock at the magnitude of seized funds and projects it was meant for in some parts of the state, the protest was to commend the EFCC and ask the anti-graft agency to return the seized fund to the state for development purposes.

BAYELSANS PROTEST AGAINST GEORGE TURNAH, DEMANDS FURTHER PROTECTION, ASKS EFCC TO RETURN LOOTED FUNDS TO BAYELSA STATE

The youths, armed with placards bearing inscriptions such as ‘We thank the EFCC for exposing corrupt persons,’ ‘Enemies of Niger Delta exposed,’ ‘welldone EFCC’ and ‘George Turnah impoverished Bayelsa state’, stated that the state is hungry for development and the return of the fund to the state government will ensure proper and even development.

The protesters, who started the solidarity march from the popular Ekeki park to the state house of assembly and the headquarters of the state police command, noted that they have read and seen on the pages of national dailies the monies allegedly diverted by George Turnah and pleaded with the EFCC to consider returning the money to the state.

Chief Harrow Zuokomor, while submitting the group’s petition to the state commissioner of police, Mr. Asuquo Amba, for onward submission to the EFCC, noted with concern that the issue of corruption among political appointees from the state to national level has eaten deep into the fabrics of the state and has continued to impoverish the ordinary people of Bayelsa state.

Addressing the demonstrators, the commissioner of police in the state, Mr. Asuquo Amba, promised to deliver their message to the appropriate authorities.

Turnah, a special adviser on youths to the erstwhile Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Mr. Bassey Dan Abia, was arrested in Port Harcourt in March this year in connection with alleged possession of N2billion suspected to be funds siphoned from the NDDC while serving there between 2012 and 2015.

Published by Bodmas P. Kemepadei's blog.