EFCC Uncovers How KWSG Withdrew N1b Allegedly For Presidential Election

By Fatai Abdullahi

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ilorin zonal office on Thursday uncovered how about one billion naira cash withdrawal by the Kwara State Government was carried out a week before the postponed Presidential and National Assemblies Election

A source informed Solacebase that EFCC discovered that about one billion naira was withdrew from the Kwara State Government’s Account domiciled with Sterling bank in which investigation is ongoing to unravel the beneficiaries of the huge amount of money.

Those arrested and presently being interrogated in respect of the allegations include, Kwara State Commissioner for Finance, Nurudeen Banu, The State Accountant General, Sulaiman Ishola, Commissioner For Water Resources,Yusuf Abdulkadir Head of Service, Susan Modupe Oluwole, Special Adviser, Commissioner for Energy, Eleja Taiwo Banu, Chief of Staff, Abdulwahab Yusuf Officials of the Secretary to the State Government, Officials of Government House among others.

An official of the Kwara State Government identified as Hafees Yusuf has also confirmed to the EFCC operatives that he got instructions from his boss to withdraw some monies sometimes in February 2019.

“My controller of Finance told me that the sum of three hundred and fifty million naira was paid into the account of Kwara State Government, I was instructed by my boss to raise cheques of various sum of monies which I did and were dully signed by the controller of Finance, I withdrew the monies as I was instructed by my supervisor” Yusuf said.

A Senior staff of sterling bank who is presently being interrogated by the operations of the commission told the anti graft body that the State Accountant General, Commissioner for Finance and Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance are signatories to the account where seven hundred twenty million naira cash were withdrawn from the Kwara State Government Account domiciled with sterling bank located at post office in Ilorin between 7th to 11th of February 2019,

Three Relationship Managers of Stealing bank, namely, RAHAMAN Alimi, Akinleye Ademola and Olarewaju Sarafa were said to have directed the money be put in bullion van and delivered personally to the Chief of Staff to the Kwara State Governor, Abdulwahab Yusuf between 7th to 11th of February 2019.

The bank officials told the operatives of the commission that they acted on the instruction of their boss which they identified as Rasaq Abolarin.

Meanwhile, the officials of the Kwara State Government have been given administrative bail after submitting their international passports and other travel documents to the commission.

The EFCC had been asked by a Non Governmental Organisation, the Kwara Coalition for Good Governance and Accountability (KWARA-CGGA) to probe the over N1billion loan the State Government secured from a bank few days before the general elections.

The secretary general of the group, Hassan Omoiya said he had intelligence that the state government obtained the loan on 13th February from a bank using the remittance of Kwara State VAT allocation due in February and March 2019 as collateral.

He said, “We urge the EFCC and indeed the Federal Ministry of Finance to determine the appropriateness of utilization of credit facility of N1 billion by Kwara State Government at the twilight of general election.”

Also, “The status of VAT Account as collateral for the credit facility in the absence of prior approval and authorization from Debt Management Office and Federal Ministry of Finance in tandem with extant laws and regulation on granting of loan to State Governments.

“It is our expectation that your investigation will extend to individuals and corporate institutions that participated in the unwholesome act with a view of prosecuting the affected individuals and institutions with attendant cost and penalty.”

The officials of the Kwara State Government are expected to be arraigned before a Federal High Court in Ilorin next week.

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