FORMER NIGER GOVERNOR, BABANGIDA ALIYU DIVERTED N1.7 BILLION, PROSECUTION WITNESS TELLS COURT

The accused who are standing trial before Justice Mikailu Abdullahi had pleaded “not guilty” to the amended charges on February 14, 2019 when they were re-arraigned, but the witness, Mohammed Bala, while being led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, Jibrin Okutepa, (SAN), on February 21, 2019 narrated how on June 22, 2016 the Economic and Fiancial Crimes Commission(EFCC) received a petition from the Secretary of the Niger State Government,  Umar Danyanya.

Penpushing further reports that, the prosecution witness said Umar Danyanya accused Namisu Jankaro, then Chief Accountant of the State, Ahmed Garba and Ibrahim Abashai, both cashiers of making withdrawals of N28, 136,363,941 from the State coffers.

The witness, who is an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), told the court that upon the receipt of the petition, he was asked to open a case file, which he did and the petitioner was later invited to shed more light on the matter.

His words, “A committee was set up to look into the transactions of the administration of Babangida Aliyu. The SSG was invited and he obliged and made statements, after which we wrote to Zenith Bank, Unity Bank and Guarantee Trust Bank and they furnished the Commission with investigation activities of the said account’.

“We invited the Permanent Secretary, Mohammed Almustapha Rijau. He came and we showed him the statements of accounts. He told us that before any money is moved, usually, there must be a memo generated from the office of the former Governor (Aliyu)’.

“After then, we invited the Chief Accountant of the Government House, Salisu Musa Jankaro, he came and we interviewed him. We showed him the copy of the petition and he acknowledged that the withdrawals were made on the instruction of the then Chief of Staff, Yusus Garba Tagwai’.

“Later, he brought all the instructions used to disburse the money. When we carefully analysed the payment vouchers, we discovered that most of the money was in the name of Barrister Tanko Beji (the second defendant).”

Penpushing also reports that, the prosecution witness stated that, Garba and Abashia, were later invited and they both corroborated the intelligence report gathered that they were instructed to make the said withdrawals.

“In respect of Ecological Funds that was disbursed to the State through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, we invited Mohammed Ndawai, the Auditor General of the State and he said a contract was awarded for ecological challenges in Niger State in 2014 and that the contractors profiled are nowhere to be found’.

“We later invited the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Aliyu Tanko, who also admitted that contracts were awarded to companies, but were never executed. After a week or so, he brought all documents. They include, Contract Award Letter, Letter of Acceptance and the Account numbers of the four companies’.

“We saw how money was transferred from Niger State account to those companies (I D Sabin, M. J Eco Nigeria Limited, Sceptre Plus and Baskir). Sabin received N887 million, Eco got over N400 million, while Septre got N445 million. We wrote to Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, Abuja, for the company’s profiles.”

Penpushing further reports that,the witness also told the court how one Saidu Ndako, a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), gave instruction for cheques of N10 million in 80 places to be written and given to one Isaac Gado.

The witness also added that, Gado,  was invited and testified that after cashing the money, he handed it to the third defendant, Umar Nasko.

Meanwhile, the case has been adjourned to March 13, 14 and 15, 2019, for continuation of trial.