N15 Billion Fraud: Jigawa Officials Arrested

The operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday stormed Dutse, the capital of Jigawa state tooked away six Government officials including Commissioners of Works,and Local Government commissioner with the state Accountant General for questioning to Abuja office

It could be recalled that last week the anti graft agency had dispersed some of its operatives to about five states in the North whose Governors were supporting the zoning arrangement of the PDP in the 2011 presidential election an allegation which the agency denied.

Spokesman of the EFCC Mr. Femi Babalola, who spoke to our correspondent on telephone confirmed the arrest of the officials said the Agency waded in on allegation of N15 billion fraud it received fallowing a petitioned wrote by one Muhammad Ali Ringim.

"Yes I can confirmed to you that the commissioner of Local Government Alhaji Salisu Mahmouda, and his parmanent secretary Alhaji Ado Ahmad, the state Accountant General Alhaji Sani Ahmad Jahun as well as the parmanent secretary Ministry of Finance Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu and Engineer Datti Ahmad Parmanent secretary Ministry of Works respectively were taken away by our operatives for questioning on the allegation of N15 billion fraud", confirmed.

The EFCC Spokesman, however, said the Works Commissioner, Engineer Baba S. Aliyu, santali could not be traced as he was on the run, saying his men will expand their tentacles with a view to apprehending him.

"At the moment, we have only these five in our custody, we have declared the commissioner of Works wanted as he was on the run", said Mr. Femi.

Mr. Babalola, explained that the Commission was not in any way witch hunting any body, saying it is only acting on allegation of fraud it received saying it will investigate the allegation to find the authenticity or otherwise of the petitioner's claim.

Meanwhile, one Muhammad Ali Ringim, who was the author of the petition to the EFCC told reporters at the Police headquarters in Dutse that he drew the attention of the agency to the allegation of contract inflation in the road project, water supply and the construction of a new state secretariat complex respectively.

Ali, said he was invited by the Police in Dutse to explained the content of his petition, pointing out that he will pursue the case to its logical conclusion.