ARREST OF ABDULAZIZ YARI: CACOL COMMENDS EFCC
The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, has hailed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for arresting the former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdul’Aziz Yari, as part of investigations into the alleged N84bn fraud involving the suspended Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris.
In a release issued by CACOL’s Director for Administration and Programmes, Mr. Tola Oresanwo, on behalf of Mr. Debo Adeniran, the Chairman of the Centre, he stated, “It would be recalled that The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested a former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdul’Aziz Yari, as part of investigations into the N84bn fraud involving the suspended Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris. We should also not forget in a hurry that sometime last year, The ICPC secured from The Federal High Court, Abuja, a final forfeiture order of over $669,000 in two bank accounts linked to Abdulaziz Yari”.
The anti-graft agency had alleged that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity. It accused Mr. Yari of illegally taking the money from the state’s coffers while he was governor. According to the commission, the victim of the alleged crime is the Zamfara government and by extension the Federal Government of Nigeria and innocent taxpayers which include judges of courts across Nigeria. It alleged that the former governor used the two companies to launder money in the state account.
From all indications, we have noticed that corruption in the country is like a nexus whereby an individual connives with several others to loot the treasury. The recent revelation linking the Ex-Governor of Zamfara State to the suspended Accountant General is a pointer to this fact.
“The humungous amount of money involved in this recent case is alarming. ASUU is on strike, our roads are bad, the health care system is nothing to write home about, the security infrastructures in the country is appalling, no constant electricity, no job for the common man on the street yet some people are so greedy and corrupt to the point of stealing and amassing ill-gotten wealth that their unborn children cannot even exhaust. We are particularly perturbed that the rate of corruption, looting and ‘thievery’ under this regime has surpassed that of the former regimes”.
In our earlier press release dated 24th September, 2020, we called on anti-corruption agencies to immediately commence necessary investigation of former governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari for alleged unlawful diversion of a whooping sum of N37.4 billion naira, being a refund from the federal government for the funds used by the former administration in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of 14 federal roads in the state.
“We at CACOL, therefore, commend the EFCC for its meticulous and diligent investigation of this high-brow corruption issue. We are
The Head of CACOL added, “Inasmuch as we want to commend The EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria for the good jpb they are doing, we also believe that there is an urgent need to look into preventive measures than curative. It will be far better if we can devise checks and balances that will prevent reoccurrence of ugly and shameful situations like this.
Tola Oresanwo
Director, Administration and Programmes, CACOL