The Executive Director of the Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development (PAPSD), Dr Abdulahi Shinkafi on Friday debunked insinuations in some media outfits that he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of N1 billion fraud.
Shinkafi said he would not have joined issues with the purveyors of the fake news but was forced to clarify the issues owing to several calls and messages he received from friends and political associates.
This is as he gave the Sahara reporters, the Sun Newspapers and Daily Patriots 48 hours within which to retract their alleged false stories and tender a public apology or face defamation of character suit.
In a statement, Shinkafi said, he was invited to the EFCC Zonal office in Sokoto to make clarification on the petitions he had earlier sent to the EFCC over the looting of Zamfara State public funds by the immediate past Governor Abdulaziz Yari led administration.
According to him “it would be recalled that we had petitioned the EFCC demanding the investigation of the misappropriation and diversion of the N499 Million meant for the purchase of fertilizers by the former Governor of Zamfara State Abdulazeez Yari. Our group in the said petition to the Chairman of the Commission routed through the Sokoto Zonal Office of the EFCC demanded the Commission to invite, investigate and possibly prosecute the former Governor Yari and the Managing Director Zamfara Agricultural Supply Company Limited for illegal withdrawals, misappropriation of funds belonging to the Zamfara State Government.
“We had alleged that the fertilizer Dealers Associations in Zamfara State deposited the sum of N370.8 million which is equivalent to the value of 103 trucks and 278 bags of fertilizer into Zamfara State Agricultural Supply Company Limited Fertilizer Sales Account domiciled in Access Bank Gusau Branch with Bank Account Number 0029140950”.
Shinkafi stated that PAPSD had also petitioned EFCC asking it to invite, investigate and possibly prosecute Yari, his former Commissioners of Finance and Local Government Affairs for allegedly diverting over N365million from the accounts of the local government under the guise of sponsoring ulamas to Saudi Arabia for Hajj.
“The EFCC Zonal Head office Sokoto invited me to harmonise and adopt my statements of defence for the final determination of the suit slated for 5th October 2021.
“Later it was translated to political propaganda, empty blackmail and mischief-making to divert the attention of the members of the public against the stealing, diversion, abuse of office and award of fictitious contracts and looting of public funds belonging to the Peoples of Zamfara State for personal enrichment.”
The group stated that Bawa during his Senate screening had vowed to bring to book all corrupt officials without fear or favour noting that it had written several petitions to the Commission without action from the EFCC.
Shinkafi charged the Chairman of the Commission to make good his pledge while being screened by the Senate noting that inspite of several petitions and the conclusion of investigations by the Sokoto Zonal office of the Commission, the former Chairman of the Commission Ibrahim Magu refused to arraign the suspects even when a prima facie case was established against them.
Shinkafi stated that “it is on record that we had been invited by the Ibrahim Magu led Commission to come forward to adopt our petition which we did, our petition was thoroughly investigated, some arrests were made but the Magu led Commission did not allow the prosecution of the suspects.
“We hope that the Bawa led Commission will do the needful and walk the talk by arresting and prosecuting all those found culpable in the wanton looting, diversion and money laundering of funds belonging to Zamfara State,” he added.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents
In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…Alleged N1bn fraud Alleged N1bn fraud
Selfies, video calls and Chinese documentaries: The things you’ll meet onboard Lagos-Ibadan train
The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. Our reporter joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…Alleged N1bn fraud Alleged N1bn fraud
and then