The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it is currently probing Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle, for “N70bn fraud”. The anti-graft agency also confirmed that a former Minister of Power, Sale Mamman, who was recently arrested by the operatives of the commission over alleged N22bn fraud, is still in detention. Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, Director of Public Affairs, EFCC, Osita Nwajah, said Matawalle was under investigation by the anti-graft agency over “allegation of monumental corruption, award of phantom contracts and diversion of over N70 billion” from the coffers of the state. Nwajah said the money, which was sourced as loan from an old generation bank, purportedly, for the execution of projects across the local government areas of the state, was, allegedly, diverted by the governor through proxies and contractors, who received payment for contracts that were never executed.
He said the commission’s investigations so far revealed that more than 100 companies received payments from the funds, with no evidence of service rendered to the state.
Nwajah said, “Some of the contractors, who had been invited and quizzed by the commission, made startling revelations on how they were, allegedly, compelled by the governor to return the funds received from the state coffers back to him through his aides after converting the same to United States dollars.
“They confirmed that they did not render any service to Zamfara State but were, allegedly, directed to convert the monies paid to them into United States Dollars and return to the state governor through some of his commissioners, notably the commissioners in charge of finance and local government affairs.
“One of the contractors, a popular Abuja property developer, collected N6 billion on a N10 billion contract without rendering any service to Zamfara State.
“Another contractor collected over N3 billion for a contract for the supply of medical equipment but the commission traced a payment of N400 million from his account to a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator. The contractor confessed the payment was to procure the dollar equivalent, allegedly, for the state governor.”
Nwajah disclosed that as part of the extensive investigation of contracts awarded by the Matawalle administration, especially for phantom projects in the local government areas, the commission recovered N300 million from a company, Fezel Nigeria Limited.
The agency explained that Mr Matawalle is yet to be arrested and prosecuted for his alleged criminal acts because he enjoys immunity from prosecution as a state governor.
“The EFCC had in the past had run-ins with state governors over allegations of theft of state monies.
“However, because the Nigerian Constitution confers immunity on state governors from prosecution and punishment while in office, the anti-corruption agency will have to wait until such a state executive leaves office before takin action.”
Mr Matawalle will step down as governor on May 29 after losing his re-election to the PDP candidate, Dauda Lawal.
“The EFCC investigation is the source of anxiety in Governonment House, Gusau with the governor in mortal dread of his fate once he steps down as governor on May 29.”