Group to EFCC: Investigate, freeze all Governor Yari’s accounts as you did Fayose’s

Pro-democracy and good governance group, Concerned Nigerians, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to investigate and, if found culprit, freeze all accounts associated with the Zamfara state Governor, Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari just like it did when it was investigating a corruption allegation against the Ekiti state Governor, Ayodele Fayose.

The group, in a release signed by its convener, Prince Deji Adeyanju and the Secretary, Dr. John Danfulani, urged the anti-graft agency not to shy away from its anti-corruption fight being championed by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress, APC, party and ensure that the Chairman Nigerian Governor’s Forum whom, they said had been under the commission’s investigation over corruption is brought to justice.

“You would recall that in May 2017, the Zamfara State Governor was alleged to have diverted $3 million from the Paris Club Refund to build a 100/room Hotel in Lekki, Lagos and another 500million Naira from the special account of the Nigeria Governors Forum and deposited the said sum into a Morgage Bank account to pay off a loan.

“The chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari diverted this money to pay back a loan he obtained from a Mortgage Institution to purchase two properties in 2013. The EFCC which had investigated the matter has refused to act or let the public know the outcome of its investigation even when the Mortgage Bank forfeited the 500million to the commission.

“Although the Commission will claim that the governor has immunity, but this immunity does not foreclose investigation as we saw in the case of Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose when the commission regularly updated Nigerians on its investigation on the matter. It is pertinent to note that the Zamfara State governor, is the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum and he’s a high ranking member of the APC and very close to President Muhammadu Buhari.

“This is a government that claims to be fighting corruption but the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum is spearheading corruption and he has been exempted from investigation. This is a paradox.

“Just two days ago, Sahara Reporters exclusively revealed that Mr. Yari bought a property in the United States of America for a princely sum of $950 thousand US dollars with state funds.

“This property is on a 2.1 hectare of land located at 14800 Bowie Farm Court, Bowie Maryland with zip code MD2021 and has six rooms and  two bathrooms with a Jacuzzi in a master bedroom. Sahara Reporters has shown incontrovertible​ evidence that governor Yari paid estate tax in 2017 of $16,583.10. Mr. Yari bought this property 2 years after assuming office. Mr. Yari has also been alleged of operating several foreign accounts Abroad.

“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission must not just investigate Mr Yari but freeze all accounts associated with him where government funds must have been diverted to just like they did in the case of Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose,” the group said.

 

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