EFCC traces cash to Kwara ex-governor's wife's account
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has traced some of the looted N2 billion for Small and Medium Enterprise Development (SMED) in Kwara State to the account of a former First Lady in the state.
The First Lady, who has so far refunded N3 million, has refused to report to the anti-graft agency for interrogation.
She told EFCC that she was indisposed but silent on the nature of her illness. She also has not presented any medical report.
The commission might stop her from traveling abroad under any guise.
Also, a royal father, who was given N78 million out of the N2 billion, might be arrested for refusing to refund the slush funds.
It was learnt that one of the market women used a share of her illicit allocation to organise the disruption of Tradermoni outing in Ilorin by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
The ex-First Lady had illegally collected cash from the N2 billion which she diverted to her foundation.
But detectives discovered that instead of using the cash for SMED, she converted it to promote herself.
The objective of the foundation is to “initiate and implement strategies to deal with Cultural, Socio-economic, Health and Wellbeing issues militating against the development of Children, Youth and Women.”
A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Our detectives are on the trace of the ex-First Lady. We accorded her much respect but she has been avoiding interrogation.
“Without honouring our invitation, she later sent the director of her foundation to refund N3 million to EFCC. But we need her to come for interaction on the looted funds traced to her. She is claiming to be sick but no evidence of any medical report.
“If she does not appear before EFCC detectives, we are going to watch-list her and prevent her from traveling abroad.”
Responding to a question, the source added: “Some of the suspects already quizzed have implicated the ex-First Lady. There is also evidence of allocation of funds from the N2 billion for SMED to her account.
“Selected and influential market men and women across the 16 local government areas of the state received N5 million each as loans, but did not payback.
“One of the market women used a share of her illicit allocation to organise the disruption ofTradermoni outing by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
“About 50 percent of the controversial loans were shared by highly placed individuals and selected businessmen and women at the expense of other beneficiaries.”
As at press time, there were indications that a First Class royal father, who collected N78 million out of the SME bazaar, might be arrested for refusing to refund the cash.
The source said: “There were no justifiable reasons for the allocation of the N78 million to the ruler. The money was also not used for farming which he got it for.
“The traditional ruler has been running around for soft landing. But the issue at stake is about public funds. We may arrest him any moment from now.”
The EFCC has so far arrested the Director-General, Kwara State Bureau of SMED, Segun Soewu, over alleged N2billion fraud.
Some of those arrested were: Ogudu Samuel of Brightway Micro-finance; A.K. Imam of Magajin Garin MFB; Adeleke M.S. of Sincere Micro-Finnace Bank(MFB); Yusuf Muideen of Balogun Fulani MFB; Issa Abdulrasheed of KCMB Mfb, and Oyebode Asimiyu of Apels MFB.
Others include Lawal Ayo of Omu-Aran MFB; Tope Eniola of Iludun MFB; Lawal Folashade of Stockcarp MFB; Yusuf Tajudeen of First Heritage MFB; and Olawoye E.O. of Offa MFB.
The EFCC began the probe of the N2 billion following intelligence reports alleging fraudulent misappropriation and mismanagement of the cash to assist market men and women across the 16 Local Government Areas of the state.
All the MFBs failed to follow due process and the SME cash was also distributed to highly-placed politicians, and prominent people in the 16 local government areas in the state.
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Admiralty Villa Isiaka Yusuf Aminat Ahmed Adijat Adebiyi Yunus Oniboki Oyawoye Centre For Community Empowerment And Poverty Eradication FERMA Tsaragi/Share Abikan Kola Ologbondiyan Alfa Modibo Belgore HAMFAT Clinic And Maternity Ilesha-Baruba Kabir Shagaya Hakeem Lawal Unicontinental Construction Company Wasiu Odewale Trader Moni Saduki Lafiagi Zara Umar Yakubu Mohammed Abdullahi Abdulrahman Onikijipa Alabere AbdulFatai Adeniyi Dan-Kazeem Bureau Of Lands Yakubu Dogara Oyedepo Abdulazeez Arowona Ita-Ore Abdulbaqi Jimoh Saliu Ajibola Ajia Isa Aremu Government House T And K FOODS Tuesday Assayomo Usman Rifun Zaratu Umar CLAY POT Ahmad Uthman Mopelola Abdulmaliq-Bashir Yaru Tunde Mukaila Mustapha Musa Abdullahi Tsado Manman Ayinde Oyepitan Oju Ekun Sarumi Tosho Yaqub Ayoade Akinnibosun James Ayeni Idris Amosa Saidu Aro Yahaya Share-Tsaragi Seun Bolaji Umar Gunu Road Transport Employers Association Of Nigeria Ayobola Ipinlaiye Umar Ayinla Saro Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari Kwara Consultative Forum Abdulfatai Salman Baakini Ibrahim Abdullahi KWASIEC Suleiman Yahya Alapansapa Umar Adelodun Amos Justus Sayo Tescom.kwarastate.gov.ng Abdulkarim Adisa Fatimah Abdulkadir Bayer AG Abdulrasheed Na\'Allah A.G.F Abdulrasaq Maryam Nurudeen Lanre Olosunde Budo Egba Flights To Ilorin Shaaba Lafiagi

