The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial district, Senator Bassey Akpan for allegedly receiving vehicles worth ₦303 million from Babajide Omokore, an oil magnate who is under trial for alleged fraudulent practices.

Senator Akpan was reportedly whisked away by the anti-graft agency on Tuesday on allegations that the said vehicles he received were kickbacks from the contracts he awarded to two of Omokore’s companies -Bay Atlantic Energy and Sahel Energy.

The said contracts were awarded by the Senator in his capacity as the then Commissioner of Finance and Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour Coordinating Committee whose mandate was to ensure that government projects were executed using direct labour to save cost.

An EFCC report alleged that Senator Akpan, while serving as the Commissioner of Finance in Akwa Ibom State under the administration of then governor Godswill Akpabio awarded contracts worth billions of naira to Omokore.

“Senator Bassey Akpan received a BMW X5 BP worth ₦50m; an Infinity QX 56 BP worth ₦45m; a Range Rover worth ₦40m; three Toyota Hiace buses worth ₦27m; two Toyota Hiace high-roof buses worth ₦16m; six Toyota Hilux D cabin vehicles worth ₦4m as well as other vehicles worth ₦83m.

“He received the vehicles from Omokore while heading a committee which was giving contracts to the same Omokore. He has been invited on several occasions but he has refused to show up,” the EFCC report said.

The lawmaker had denied the allegations of receiving the vehicles as kickbacks from Omokore, insisting that Omokore had known him for 19 years and given him the vehicles as gifts to ensure his safety as well as contribute to his governorship campaign in 2014.