Date: 2019-07-03

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced an investigation into alleged illegal accumulation of multi-million naira properties of about 20 Kwara state civil servants whose monthly salaries are not more than N90,000.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Tuesday, the zonal head of the commission in Ilorin Mr Isyaku Sharu, said that N10billion that was alleged to be stolen by the last administration was intercepted and saved for the current administration.

Mr Sharu said that the category of workers under the commission's investigations are the director and deputy director, among others, particularly those in charge of finances, adding that they colluded with politicians to pilfer the state resources.

"You will agree with me that official corruption is the greatest killer as officials who are ordinarily supposed to guard and protect state resources have turned out to misappropriate it.

"To this end, the commission beamed its searchlight on the Kwara state officials and on a credible tip-off, the commission is currently investigating over 15 properties in choice areas within Ilorin metropolis ranging from hotels, filling stations, residential accommodation, microfinance, among others.

"It will shock you to hear that the alleged owners are civil servants whose earning per month is not more than N90,000 (ninety thousand naira per month). Some have confessed to the commission and the matter is in court", he said.

The EFCC zonal head also said that the commission successfully intercepted billions of naira that the last administration wanted to pilfer few days to its exit.

"It has always been a tradition in the country except microscopic few that whenever any government is exiting, it will indulge in mass pilferage as the last minute golden opportunity, hence our resolve to mount surveillance on all Kwara state government account between 24th to 29th May 2019 when the states received FAAC, JAAC VAT and tax refund from the federal government to the tune of about N10Billion. I can authoritatively tell you that we saved the state last minute attempted financial misappropriation of those billions", he said.

Mr Sharu also said that since the commission commenced operations in Ilorin in December 2018, N50million cash has been recovered from fraudsters based on petitions and the money returned to the real owners.

"This includes those recoveries from some state legislators who allegedly duped some people. The commission also has over N200million on interim forfeiture", he said.

In order to sanitise electoral system in the state and discourage vote-buying he said the commission had commenced a campaign against the exercise across the state, adding that, "at the eve of the last general election to date, we have a case before the state high court on vote buying awaiting judgement".

The EFCC zonal boss said that the commission is fighting internet fraudsters in the zone to a standstill as 29 cases had been charged to both state and federal high courts while as at last Friday, 15 of the cases have been convicted.

"The court also ordered their exotic cars and monies running to millions of naira in their bank accounts forfeited to the federal government", he said.