The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission says it has arrested four former commissioners who served in Kogi State during the administration of ex-governor Idris Wada, Punch reports.
ICPC said in a statement by its spokesperson, Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, that the suspects were allegedly involved in fraud to the tune of N11bn.
The ex-commissioners include: Kayode Olowomoran (Culture and Tourism); Abdulrahman Wuya (Transport); Onama Godwin (Works); and Ali Ajuh (Budget and Planning).
The anti-graft agency said the former commissioner acting in connivance with the former governor, former Accountant-General, Ibrahim Idakwo, and a former Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Commerce, Frank Onoja, had obtained a N2bn Small and Medium Enterprise loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria on behalf of the state which was misapplied.
The statement added, “Preliminary investigations by the commission also revealed that the suspects allegedly partook in the mismanagement of another N8bn bond that was raised to fund 57 projects across the state.
“The large sums of monies released for the projects were allegedly far beyond the levels of work done. Furthermore, the suspects are alleged to have benefitted from illegal deductions to the tune of N1.3bn made from the funds of 21 local government councils of the state by the same administration.”
The ICPC said the suspects would remain in custody until they fulfill the administrative bail conditions granted them by the commission.
Wada is also under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly receiving N500m from former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, through the then Director of Finance of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Senator Nenadi Usman.
__________
Follow us on Twitter at @thesignalng
Copyright 2017 SIGNAL. Permission to use portions of this article is granted provided appropriate credits are given to www.signalng.com and other relevant sources.
