Wanted ex-Gov Ibrahim Shema submits self to EFCC

BARELY 48 hours after being declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), former Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State on Friday submitted himself to the anti-corruption commission in Abuja.

The immediate past Katsina State helmsman was declared wanted by EFCC on Wednesday in connection with alleged criminal conspiracy, inflation of contract, abuse of office, diversion of funds and embezzlement running into billions of naira.

The Media and Publicity of the commission, Wilson Uwujaren, had stated that the former governor had ignored several invitations from EFCC from December 1, 2015 when he was first invited.

He added that all efforts to trace the former governor in his known addresses both in Katsina, the Katsina State capital and Abuja had been futile.

Saturday Tribune gathered that Shema arrived EFCC headquarters at Wuse 2 in Abuja at about 10a.m in company with his lawyers.

A reliable source in the commission confided in Saturday Tribune that on his arrival, Shema, who ruled Katsina State between May 29, 2007 and May 28, 2015, was furious with EFCC officials for declaring him wanted.

According to the source, the former governor told officials of the anti-graft commission that there was never any time he refused to honour its invitation.

“Shema told the officials that he is a law-abiding Nigerian citizen and would not have ran away or even fail to honour any invitation from EFCC. He added that he was surprised when he was declared wanted by the commission,” the source told the Saturday Tribune.

It was not clear as of the time of filling this report if the former governor would be granted administrative bail or be detained by the commission.

Efforts made to get Uwujaren to confirm the report before filing, however, proved abortive.