Actor/Politician RMD on the Run over N50m Fraud; EFCC Arrests Accomplice

Philo Nkem Ajufo, the acting General Manager of Delta State Tourism Board, has been detained by the EFCC over her role in a financial scam. Ms. Ajufo is being quizzed for conniving Actor turned politician, Richard Mofe Damijo (RMD), to embezzle N50 million from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

EFCC sources say RMD who is the Commissioner for Culture and Touring, is being sought by the anti-corruption agency, but he has been elusive. He is believed to be on the run.

Below is how an EFCC official confirmed the arrest of RMD's accomplice...

“As we talk, the Delta State Tourism GM, one Mrs. Nkem Ajufo, is been held in our headquarters here in Abuja over her involvement in the N50 million fraud.
Her boss, Mr. Richard Mofe Damijo, is not left out but as we speak he is still avoiding us.”

Two sources at the ministry told our reporter that the EFCC last week delivered a letter inviting Ms. Ajufo to appear at their headquarters. She was asked to bring along relevant documents concerning the N50 million that was meant for the purported 2007 Delta Expo event which never held.

The sources disclosed that RMD went underground on learning about the current development.

One source told our reporter that the commissioner, who is reported to be building himself a massive underground edifice in Lagos, was trying to use political contacts in Delta and Abuja to scuttle the EFCC’s investigation and washed his hands off the scam.

It was learnt that RMD denied knowledge of the money during the budget defense exercise.

Several calls and sms texts sent to Mr. Damijo and Ms. Ajufo’s mobile lines were not answered. After a while, the commissioner switched off his mobile phone.

Recall that last year, news broke of the N50 million allegedly embezzled by RMD, a serving commissioner and the acting GM of the state’s tourism board.