ICPC set to arraign ex-Kebbi gov, Dakingari over N664.3m fraud

THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is set to arraign the former Governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Saidu Usman Dakingari, in court for allegedly misappropriating N664.3 million belonging to the state.

The ex-governor who is to be arraigned at the High Court of Kebbi State, Birnin Kebbi, allegedly conspired with the then Commissioner of Finance, Mohammed Bello Tunga and the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Garba Rabiu Kamba to misappropriate funds that were meant for certain provisions for the successful conduct of the 2015 general election.

Tunga and Kamba were already facing prosecution by the commission at the Kebbi State High Court.

ICPC’s efforts to effect service of the court processes on the former governor have been without success since he was granted bail on self-recognition by the commission.

• ICPC arraigns Kebbi ex-SSG, commissioner over N664 million fraud

The contact address in Asokoro, Abuja, that he gave the commission turned out to be a vacant plot but when his house in Abuja was eventually found by investigators, he had left a standing order with the security men not to receive any mail or documents on his behalf.

In addition, his phone contact has remained permanently switched off so calls and text messages could not be delivered.

However, a statement by the commission’s spokesperson, Mrs Rasheedat Okoduwa, a copy of which was made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, on Wednesday, said ICPC remained confident that Dakingari’s arraignment would hold through the instrumentality of a bench warrant that would ensure he was brought to court.