Former
Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shema has been declared wanted for alleged
mismanagement of N74.6billion.
Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operatives yesterday stormed the Abuja
home of the former governor to arrest him but he was not there.
Some
top officials of Shema’s administration will have to account for N30billion
security vote which was diverted monthly by local government councils, a source
said.
The
Katsina State government petitioned the anti-graft commission, alleging
mismanagement of about N74 billion by the Shema administration.
The
funds include alleged diversion of N18.6 billion in 2012 and over N56 billion
in the remaining seven years.
It
was learnt that the ex-governor failed thrice to honour the EFCC’s invitation
for questioning on how he spent the funds.
A
source in EFCC said: “Ex-Governor Shema failed to respond to several
invitations extended to him. On December 1, 2015, we requested for an audience
with him but he sent his lawyer, Aliyu Ahmed, from the chamber of Aliyu Ahmed
& Associates to ask for a date in the middle of February 2016.
“We
sent another invitation to him on the 23rd of May 2016. He did not respond to
the letter but we got information that he had changed his lawyers.
“Again
on the 19th of June, 2016, we asked him to come to our office for
interaction. On the 20th of June, 2016, he replied the EFCC that he was
dialoguing with the governor of the state on the allegations against him.
“He
has been elusive and has not made efforts to get in touch with EFCC. Having waited
for almost three months after the last correspondence without any word from
ex-Governor Shema, we decided to effect his arrest. Our operatives trailed him
to Katsina but could not locate him.
“Yesterday,
our team went to his residence within the precinct of the Presidential Villa
but he was not at home.
“We
have no choice than to declare him wanted.
A
statement by EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren, said Shema was “wanted
in connection with a case of criminal conspiracy, inflation of contracts, abuse
of office, diversion of funds and embezzlement running into billions of naira.
“The
former governor ignored several invitations by the commission since December 1,
2015 when he was first summoned by the agency.
“All
efforts to locate him at his known address in Katsina and Abuja were
futile.”
The
EFCC source gave the details of the looted funds which Shema would have to
account for.
The
source added: “We are probing allegation that the ex-governor executed almost
all the contracts in the state using his sons and one Alhaji as fronts.
“That
Shema , sons and cronies diverted about N18.6 billion in 2012 and over
N56 billion in seven years.
“That
the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs directed every local
government to return huge chunk of their allocations to private account.
“Security
votes to the tune of about N30 billion were mismanaged and diverted by local
governments monthly and payment made to some government officials.”
Source:The
Nation
Tags
Politics