The Patriots For Peace and Social Development (PAPS) has given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) one week to arrest and prosecute the former Governor Of Zamfara State Abdulazeez Yari over allegations of misappropriation and misapplication of over N900Billion belonging to Zamfara state government or face an order of mandamus.
In a reminder dated July 8th, 2020 sent to the acting Chairman of the Commission Mohammed Umar the PAPS Chairman Dr. Sani Abdulahi Shinkafi the group stated that the Commission under the suspended Acting Chairman Of the Commission Ibrahim Magu has been acting as if Yari is above the law and an untouchable because of his closeness to President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the reminder letter to the new Acting EFCC Chairman Shinkafi noted”I hereby wish to forward a reminder to the Commission on the series of Petitions submitted, stamped and duly acknowledged by your the Commission over acts of financial fraud, illegal withdrawals of funds, cheating, criminal breach of trust, official abuse of office, diversion and siphoning of public funds belonging to Zamfara State by the immediate past Governor Hon. Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, top Government functionaries, private companies and individuals, after waiting for investigations and possible prosecution for over one year from the most respected anti-graft Commission. My Petitions appeared to have been dumped and swept under the carpet.
“I hereby, implore the Commission to exercise its statutory powers under the EFCC Establishment Act 2002 to investigate, prosecute and penalize Economic and Financial crimes committed against the people of Zamfara State by the former Governor and his cronies as well as enforcing the provision of other laws and regulations relating to economic and financial crimes.
Shinkafi pointed out that “the allegations are and the most annoying part is that the EFCC is refusing to take action on the series of the Petition led I submitted because it was written against a close confidant and political associate of President Muhammadu Buhari and also a member of the ruling party, All Progressive Congress (APC). He is bragging that he is untouchable, that nothing will happen to my Petitions and that then Acting Chairman of the Commission, cannot even invite him, let alone arresting and prosecuting him in court, whereas many former governors had been invited, arrested and prosecuted.
“The EFCC acknowledged the receipt of my series of Petitions against Hon. Abdulaziz Yari, individuals, contractors, private companies and top government functionaries. We had expected that the EFCC should have invited him for questioning, like they have been doing to other former Governors who are members of the opposition parties.
Shinkafi declared that “I have concluded that I will give the Commission this week and if nothing is done on this my reminder, I will be left with no option than to file an action at Federal High Court to seek an order of Mandamus to compel the EFCC to properly fulfil their statutory official duties or to correct any abuse of discretion as provided by the EFCC Establishment Act 2002. The Commission should let the Nigerian people know how far they have gins in respect to the Petitions. Our leaders are supposed to be transparent and accountable to us. They are supposed to render accounts of their stewardship to the people who elected them while in office or after the expiration of their tenure.
H stated that “If Mr. A is arrested for stealing maggi in the market, Mr. B should be equally arrested for stealing state funds. The decision of EFCC not to primarily invite Hon. Abdulaziz Yari and his co – travelers for questioning is justifying the view of several Nigerians that the anti-corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari administration is one sided, given that most of those arrested so far are members of the opposition party. But several APC members accused of corruptions are still walking the streets freely, an indication that Nigeria still has a long way to go in the fight against corruption.
He noted that “You cannot build institution like this when you only arrest members of opposition parties accused of corruption and ignore those accused of the same things who are in the ruling party and allegedly close to Mr. President. If Abdulaziz Yari was in opposition party, the EFCC would have invited him since he left office. If it was the opposition, the EFCC would have made so much noise in the media with invitation, arrest and possible prosecution. Sometimes, I wonder if this is really a fight against corruption because there are lots of economic vampires around Mr. President against whom petitions are gathering dust at the EFCC Corporate Headquarters.
“If EFCC fails to invite Hon. Abdulaziz Yari despite overwhelming and verifiable evidence before the Commission, this would make mockery of the anti – corruption campaign of Mr. President.
We have documented evidence that indicted the former Governor of corruptions while in office. These include:
Report of Zamfara State Project Verification Committee set up by the Executive Governor of Zamfara State Hon. Bello Muhammed (Matawallen Maradun) MON.
Report of Zamfara State Local Government Projects Verification Committee.
2019 Transition Committee Report.
Please find listed below the series of Petitions I have duly submitted to the Commission:
Demand for the Investigations Prosecution of Former Governor Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari of Zamfara State over Misappropriation of over 251 Billion. Dated 1st July, 2019 stamped and received 03 July 2019.
Addendum on Demand for the Investigation/prosecution of Former Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State over misappropriate of over 251 Billion Naira. Dated on 4th July, 2019 stamped and received 5th July 2019.
Request to Recover the Sum of N1.301.775.335.45k Billion belonging to Zamfara State Government from USK ventures (owned by Usman Sahabi Kaura) and Shenzhen Engineering (owned by Mr. Tankg Chinese National) for conspiracy, fictitious payment, and fraudulent conversion of public funds for personal enrichment. Dated 30th September 2019, stamped and received 02 October, 2019.
Request to recover over N950Million unremitted funds belonging to Zamfara State government generated in the last eight years as net revenue from its property in Abuja fraudulently converted to personal use by Hassan Marafa Danbaba (Magajin Garin Sokoto). Dated 30th September 2019. Stamped and received 30th September 2019.
Petitions Against Former Governor of Zamfara State Hon. Abdulaziz Yari for allegation of official corruption, abuse of office, execution of fictitious contracts, diversion, theft, ,money laundering and misappropriation of public funds of over 900Billion, dated 30th September 2019. Stamped and received 02 October 2019.
Additional petition against former Governor of Zamfara State Hon. Abdulaziz Yari for allegation of corruption, abuse of office, execution of fictitious contracts, diversion, theft, Money Laundering and Misappropriation of Public funds of over N900 Billion. Dated 30th September 2019. Stamped and received 30th September 2019.
Forwarding of additional information in respect of petition against the former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari for allegation of official corruption abuse, of office, execution of fictitious contracts, diversion, theft, money laundering and misappropriation of public funds amounting to about 900 Billion Naira. Dated 21st October, 2019. Stamped and received 21st October, 2019.
Call for Investigation Diversion, Misappropriation of funds against some persons, private companies Government functionaries and office of the Secretary to the Zamfara State Government, Procurement of over 531 official vehicles from 2011 – 2019 for the sum of N9, 588,306,095.00 Billion Naira. Dated 29th June, 2020. Stamped and received 1st July 2020.
Petition Against Sani Ahmed Mayanchi for Criminal Breach of Trust, Diversion of Funds For personal gain the Sum of N182, 592, 037:00 for Rehabilitation and Furnishing of Government Secondary School Dansadau in Maru Local Government of Zamfara State. Dated 29th June, 2020, stamped and received 01 July, 2020.
Petition against Muhammadu Muntaka Rini Former Commissioner Ministry of Science and Technology Education for embezzlement of Eight Hundred and Seventy – Eight Million (N878,000,000.00) Naira through the execution of fictitious Contracts for supply of Text Books, Exercise Books and Charcoal to Ministry of Education Zamfara State and Diversion of Public Funds for his personal gain. Dated 30th June 2020. Stamped and received 02 July, 2020.
Petition to Investigate and Prosecute the Former Governor Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari over fictitious/over – inflation of contracts, looting of Zamfara State treasury and Money Laundering exceeding Nine Hundred Billion Naira N900,000,000,000.00 During his 8 years tenure in office dated 30th June, 2020. Stamped and received 02 July 2020.
Corruption, Criminal Breach of Trust, unlawful enrichment and Diversion of N261, 121,280.00 Zamfara State Resources by Shenzhe and Mineral Limited for Mineral exploration project in Damri, Wanu, and Maru. Dated 25th June, 2020. Stamped and received 01 July 2020.
Call for Investigation and Prosecution against Jega Enterprises Nigeria Limited for fictitious contracts, Diversion of Public Fund and Money Laundering of N800,000,000.00k Million for supply NPK/UREA fertilizer for 2018 wet season to Zamfara state Government. Dated 30th June, 2020. Stamped and received 02 July 2020.
Call for Investigation and possible Prosecution of Former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy affairs, Hon. Muhammad Muttakka Rini and Hon. Bello Dankande Gamji for the award of fictitious contracts over inflation over invoicing Diversions & Siphoning of public funds belonging to Zamfara State up to the Sum of over 120 Billion Naira. Dated 07th July, 2020. Stamped and received 07th July, 2020.
Call for Investigation and Prosecution of Hon. Mukhtar Shehu Idris (Former Commissioner of Housing and Urban Development from 2011 – 2015 and Commissioner for Finance from 2015 – 2019 for criminal breach of trust, official corruption, abuse of office and diversion and Siphoning of public funds belonging to Zamfara State Government up to the sum of 400 Billion Naira. Dated 07th July, 2020, stamped and received 07 July, 2020.
In view of the aforementioned, I urged the EFCC to act quickly on all the Petitions submitted in the interest of justice and fair play. It is imperative for the EFCC to invite and interrogate Hon. Abdulaziz Yari, all top government functionaries that played roles in the looting of Zamfara State treasury from 2011 – 2019, individual contractors, private companies etc. for proper probe and prosecution. The EFCC must shun the alleged implicit duress of Hon. Abdulaziz Yari, his political connections as former Executive Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum. The Commission should act in the interest of equity, fairness and justice.
