EFCC hands over recovered N837m to Katsina governor

By Florencemary Nwabueze

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kano Zonal Directorate, has officially handed over recovered monetary exhibits totalling ₦837,485,389.00 to the Katsina State Government.

The EFCC announced this via its Facebook page on Monday, noting that the handover, which took place on Monday at the Kano Zonal Directorate, followed two separate investigations into major cases of stolen public funds belonging to the state.

Presenting the recovered funds to Abdullahi Yantumaki, Executive Director of Standard and Compliance, Katsina State Internal Revenue Service, the Zonal Director, ACE1 Friday Ebelo, reiterated the commission’s unwavering commitment to protecting public funds and holding accountable those entrusted with their management.

“This money belongs to the people of Katsina State, and I will urge that same be used for the betterment of the people of Katsina State,” Ebelo said.

He noted that the recovery was the result of painstaking investigative work and urged public officials to adhere to due process, warning that the EFCC would continue to track all forms of financial malfeasance.

While receiving the drafts, Dr. Yantumaki expressed gratitude to the EFCC for its diligence and professionalism. He assured that the recovered funds would be properly channelled into the state’s consolidated revenue account for the benefit of citizens.

Highlighting the cases that led to the recovery of the funds, the EFCC said that in the first case, it recovered ₦547,015,389.00 following a petition from the Katsina State Government regarding the criminal diversion of nearly ₦1.3 billion in statutory tax remittances.

The funds, which originated from international organisations including the World Health Organization (WHO), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and ALIMA, were systematically diverted into a private bank account by six Board of Internal Revenue Service (BOIRS) personnel and three bank employees.

“Following the investigation, 12 suspects were charged to court. Six of the suspects have already been convicted after pleading guilty, while the remaining six are currently standing trial at the Katsina State High Court,” the statement reads.

The EFCC further revealed that in the second case, the commission recovered ₦290,470,000.00 traced to a systemic fraud uncovered by a 2021 intelligence report. The investigation revealed that former Sub-Treasurer, Sani Lawal BK, and former Deputy Sub-Treasurer, Saadu Maiwada, in the office of the Accountant General of Katsina State, colluded and diverted the sum to their personal companies through unauthorised, substantial cash withdrawals from the Katsina State Sub-Treasury Expenditure Account.

The investigation further revealed that no services were rendered, nor any contracts awarded, to warrant the withdrawals.

“The suspects have since been charged to court and arraigned on July 11, 2023, on offences bordering on money laundering and misappropriation of funds in both Federal and State High Courts. Trials have commenced, and witnesses are testifying before the courts,” the statement reads.

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