A former
governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, has been declared wanted by the anti-
graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC].
Also
wanted by the EFCC is the son of the ex-governor, Abdul Aziz Murtala Nyako, a
retired Naval officer.
Both are
wanted in a case of criminal conspiracy, stealing, abuse of office and money
laundering.
The EFCC
had in June 2014, shortly before the former governor was impeached, frozen the
bank accounts belonging to the state government in what it then called a
precautionary measure to safeguard the state treasury amidst evidence of
looting uncovered by its operatives.
The
commission had alleged massive looting of the treasury by top officials of
Adamawa State government under Mr. Nyako, a development that, at the time, led
to the arrest and questioning of key officials, including then Secretary to the
State Government, the then State Commissioner for Finance, the then
Commissioner for Higher Education, the then Accountant General of the State and
the then Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Local Government.
The EFCC
said at the time that its investigation was triggered by petitions alleging
massive looting of the treasury by the governor and his cronies through an
illegal department called Special Programme and Project Units, SPPU, which
engaged in over invoicing and inflation of contract.
“In the
course of investigation, a critical analysis of the Joint State/Local
Government account reveals massive cash withdrawals,” a source at the
commission had told PREMIUM TIMES at the time.
The EFF
official accused the then Permanent Secretary of Local Governments of making
cash withdrawals of over N2 billion in 181 different transactions, scattered in
tranches of N3 million, N4 million, N8 million and N9 million per transaction
from the State/Local Government account domiciled with First Bank between 29th
of August 2011 and 2012.
He also
allegedly made similar cash withdrawals amounting to over N500 million between
March 6, 2008, and March 4, 2011, from another Joint account domiciled in
Keystone Bank, the source added.
“Other
officials of the ministry who allegedly looted the Joint Account include
Justina Jari, a Principal Accountant with the ministry who made cash
withdrawals to the tune of N600 million from the Joint Account between October,
2009 and February, 2011.
“Another
staff of the ministry, Abdulhakeem Mohammed was also alleged to have withdrawn
about N3 billion from the account between February 2007 and May 2011. Two other
staff, Mercy Wanje and Jumai Salihu were also said to have made withdrawals of
N1 billion and N160 million from the account respectively,” the source said.
“On a
single day, another staff called Haruna Hamali, a principal store officer made
a cash withdrawal of over N70 million from the same account,” he said.
“The
withdrawals were made and the money returned to top officials of the state
government as narrated and confirmed by the officials who made the withdrawals.
“The state
officials were arrested in connection with the withdrawals and other ongoing
investigations,” the EFCC official said at the time.
Mr. Nyako
was later impeached by the State House of Assembly. His whereabouts have
remained unknown ever since.
Courtesy: Premiumtimesng
Follow @Jandon101
0 comments:
Post a Comment
We appreciate your Comments! Share your comments below! Click on "POST A COMMENT" and select Anonymous or login with your gmail acct..! Join Our BBM Channel C00477B90...