By Zainab Bakare
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has revived over N853.8bn money laundering cases against 13 former governors and some former ministers.
Investigations have revealed that the amount involved in these high-profile cases was not less than N722.2bn. According to the EFCC, the money was meant for the procurement of arms in the declared war against terrorists, but it was diverted and misappropriated.
The governors involved include two former Ekiti State governors: Kayode Fayemi and Ayo Fayose; former Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle; two Enugu State governors, Chimaroke Nnamani and Sullivan Chime; former Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Adamu; former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso; former Rivers State governor, Peter Odili; former Abia State governor, Theodore Orji; former Gombe State governor, Danjuma Goje; former Sokoto State governor, Aliyu Wamako; former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva; and former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido. These ex-governors were probed for different amounts under different administrations.
The EFCC has also proceeded to probe some former ministers for an alleged N37.1bn fraud. These ministers include Olu Agunloye (power, mines, and steel) for an alleged $6bn fraud on the Mambilla power project and Sadiya Umar Farouk. These ministers served under the former Presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari, respectively.
The commission is also still investigating the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, and also the Coordinator of the suspended National Social Investment Programme Agency, Halima Shehu, for an alleged N81.6bn fraud.
EFCC Resurrects N853.8bn Fraud Cases Against 13 Former Governors and Ministers
