The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has again prevailed on the investigation into the alleged deduction and diversion of N365 million belonging to 14 local government areas of Zamfara State during the twilight of the tenure of the former governor of the state, Abdulaziz Yari.

The Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development (PAPSD) in a petition is asking the anti-graft agency to question the former Governor and then former Commissioners of Finance and Local Government Affairs for allegedly diverting over N365million from the accounts of the local governments.

The funds were allegedly used to sponsor 490 Ulamas to Saudi Arabia to pray for the state against banditry.

The group in the petition signed by PAPSD’s Executive Director, Alhaji Sani Shinkafi read in part: ”We hereby wish to forward a petition to the commission to invite, investigate and possibly prosecute the unlawful deduction of the monthly statutory allocation funds and withdrawals of the sum of Three Hundred and Sixty Five Million Naira (NGN365,000,000), from the Statutory Allocation of November 2018 to sponsor 35 Ulamas from each Local Government Area of Zamfara State to Saudi Arabia to pray for the successful exercise for the recruitment and operation of Civilian Joint Taskforce (CJTF), to fight armed banditry in Zamfara state.

“The State Governor directed the Commissioner for the Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to make illegal deduction and withdrawals of Fourteen Million Naira (NGN 14,000,000), on Monthly basis from all the Fourteen Local Government Area bank account domiciled in the United Bank of Africa (UBA), Gusau Branch,” it said.

The petition routed through the Sokoto Zonal office of the Commission pointed out that “All the Local Government Area Chairmen, Secretaries, Directors of Finance and Cashier duly signed a cheque leaf and submit the copy of the cheques to the Branch Manager of a first-generation bank with the beach in Gusau for the deduction of one Hundred and Ninety-Six Million (N196, 000, 000).

He also alleged the younger brother of the former Governor, Alias Danauta was used as a conduit pipe to siphoned and diverted the funds for personal enrichment.

“Going by the figures the Sum of Two Billion Three Hundred and fifty-two Million (N2,352, 000, 000.00k) only are unlawfully deducted from Local Government Area Statutory Allocation Joint Account Committee(JAAC) annually at the detriment of the masses of our rural communities.

“Going by His Excellency approval the sum of Two Thousand Dollar ($2000) was approved to the Ulamas as Basic Travelling Allowances (BTA) to travel to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but going through the payment schedule the record clearly revealed that the sum of One Thousand Dollar ($1000) was paid to the beneficiaries against the approval of His Excellency.

“If you clearly examine scrutinized the signature signed by the beneficiaries, you will come to the conclusion the signature of the beneficiaries was forged and signed with one pen. We implore the Commission to find out what is the official status of Kabiru Kamba who signed and collected the Sum of Nine Hundred and Eighty Thousand Dollar ($980,000) valued at Three Hundred and Sixty-Five Million (N365,000,000) only on behalf of Zamfara State Government for onward disbursement to Ulamas as Basic Travelling Allowances (BTA)

“We hereby urge the commission to engage the service of forensic expert to authenticate the genuineness of the signatures of the beneficiaries as claimed. In view of the highlighted above, I feel that this weighty allegation should not be swept under the carpet,” the group urged. (Daily Independent)

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