A governor is under probe after the sum of $10
million he diverted from the bailout funds allocated to his state was hijacked
by his mistress.
The
governor was said to have commissioned his mistress to help him launder the
said sum only for the latter to refuse to remit it in the slush accounts the
governor provided.
Already,
the money in question has been traced to a bank in the United States.
Investigations
revealed that the governor resorted to using his US-based mistress to stash the
funds abroad in order to avoid monitoring by security agencies.
The
cash was allegedly either wired or hauled in tranches in order to beat the
nation’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).
In
spite of the governor’s tricks, however, security agencies were able to
intercept the deal between him and his mistress.
It
was gathered that the diversion of the looted $10 million by the mistress
created an uproar that triggered the ongoing investigation of the deal between
the love birds.
One
of the sources involved in the probe said: “A governor from an oil-producing
state is in soup and under probe by some security agencies.
“The
governor seems to have been duped by his mistress who stays in Texas in the
United States.
“The
governor is worried after discovering that his girlfriend has defrauded him of
$10 million.
“What
started as a love affair and promises of good faith has turned sour.
“Yet
the governor would not want his wife or the people of the state, who will be
disappointed, to know about this ugly transaction.”
The
security chief added: “Investigation so far indicated that the governor
allegedly diverted part of the bailout funds meant for his state to the
mistress.
“All
relevant security agencies are already tracking how the cash was wired to the
mistress as well as the whereabouts of the funds.
“Very
soon, the details of the transaction will be revealed to Nigerians.
“This
is why the government has decided to monitor how bailout funds and London-Paris
loan refunds were spent.”
The
Presidency in 2016 released the sum of N1. 266.44 trillion to 36 states within
nine months.
The
breakdown includes N713.70 billion special intervention funds to states and
London Paris Club loan refunds of N522.74 billion.
The
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had
said 16 states were yet to disburse about N57, 663, 185, 735 of the bailout
funds approved for them by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The
agency also indicted some of the states for diverting the bailout funds which
were meant for workers’ salaries.
Source:The
Nation
Tags
Politics