Fraud Allegations: FG Fires Acting AGF, Anamekwe

The Federal Government has fired the acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Chukwuyere N. Anamekwe.

According to sources, he was replaced two weeks ago with Okolieaboh Ezeoke Sylvis, a former TSA (Treasury Single Account) Director.

Anamekwe’s replacement followed ECONOMIC CONFIDENTIAL’s exclusive report which exposed Anamekwe’s alleged underhand dealings in the previous government offices he occupied.

ECONOMIC CONFIDENTIAL had exclusively reported that Anamekwe has a heavy corruption dossier and and is being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Our team of investigators also reliably gathered that some of the properties he acquired fraudulently had been recovered by anti-corruption agencies.

One of the sources had informed ECONOMIC CONFIDENTIAL that his major financial crime was allegedly committed while he was the Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA) at the Ministry of Defence where he was said to have enriched himself with internal security funds.

He was also allegedly involved in other fraudulent activities and used the Government Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMIS) to steal the salaries of federal government staff.

The GIFMIS is an IT-based system for budget management and accounting. It was adopted as part of a wider Public Service Reform Strategy by the federal government of Nigeria starting in the early 2000s.

Our correspondent also learnt that the government was not comfortable with his revelation that it was borrowing to pay salaries and had to relieve him of his appointment.

Anamekwe was appointed acting AGF on May 22. He made the controversial remark on government borrowing to pay salaries on June 14. He was replaced seven days after.

His successor, Sylvis, will retire from service in the first quarter of 2023.