The Kogi State Government says it has recovered 25 million Naira ($82,236) out of the 230 million Naira ($757,000) pension funds diverted into private pockets by some individuals in the pension office.

The government said another 12.7 million Naira from the College of Education Technical in Kabba has been traced and recovered from the Albarka Cooperative Society.

The Local Government Auditor General in the state, Mr Ahmed Ododo, hinted Channels Television about the recovered monies in an exclusive interview.

He reiterated the state government’s commitment to retrieving every fund stolen from the state’s pause.

Kogi State has raised alarm over the high rate of diversion of public funds, saying it was one of the reasons it had over-bloated wage bill.

Since January 27 that the present administration came into power, it has promised to recover all stolen funds.

The 230 million Naira was money meant for the payment of state pensioners. The government is also making efforts to recover close to a billion Naira money meant to pay staff salaries and upgrade the structures at the College of Education Technical in Kabba.

While lamenting the fraud that has eaten deep into the state civil service, he stressed that if not corrected, no meaningful progress would be achieved by the state government.

Giving more revelation on how the sum of 1.415 million Naira pension fund was trailed to a Microfinance Bank account, he said five suspects have been arrested in connection to the fraud.

The state government further assured citizens that it would recover every kobo and prosecute the culprits. (Channels TV)

•Photo shows Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello.

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