EFCC Arraigns Former Benue Electoral Chief Over Alleged N1.1 Billion Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, arraigned Dr. Tersoo Joseph Loko, the former Chairman of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSEIC), over an alleged N1.1 billion fraud.
Appearing before Justice M. S. Abubakar of the Federal High Court in Makurdi, Dr. Loko was docked alongside 10 other defendants. They face a 30-count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation of public funds and money laundering. The EFCC alleges that Loko diverted funds meant for the conduct of the 2020 and 2022 local government elections in Benue State.
According to court documents, the state government released over N1.6 billion for the elections, but investigators claim only about N565 million was utilized for their intended purpose. The prosecution specifically accused Loko of receiving direct cash payments from commission funds for personal use, leaving over N1.1 billion unaccounted for.
The arraignment follows a broader trend of increased scrutiny on state electoral bodies. Just one day prior, on January 27, the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the remand of the Chairman of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), Prof. Sani Malumfashi, at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Prof. Malumfashi and three senior officials were arraigned by the ICPC over an alleged N1.02 billion fraud. Investigators allege that the Kano officials siphoned public money through a private bank account belonging to a farm, SLM Agro Global Farm, rather than using the funds for the commission’s statutory responsibilities.
These back-to-back legal actions signal a coordinated effort by anti-graft agencies to enforce financial accountability within state-level electoral institutions ahead of future election cycles.
