Pro-democracy and transparency-focused group, Concerned Nigerians, has
called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate
Mr. Abdul'aziz Yari, governor of Zamfara State, and freeze all of his bank
accounts.
The group made the demand in a statement signed by Messrs. Deji
Adeyanju and John Danfulani, Convener and Secretary respectively.
Concerned Nigerians noted that Mr. Yari was alleged, in May, to have
diverted $3 million from the Paris Club Refund to build a 100-room Hotel in
Lekki, Lagos and another N500million from the special account of the Nigeria
Governors' Forum and deposited the said sum into a mortgage bank account to pay
off a loan. The group referred to an exclusive report by SaharaReporters
stating that Mr. Yari, who is the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors' Forum used
the money to pay back a loan he obtained from a mortgage institution to
purchase two properties in 2013.
It equally noted that the EFCC, which investigated the matter, has
refused to act or disclose to the public the outcome of its investigation, even
when the mortgage bank forfeited the N500million to the commission. While
stating that the EFCC could claim that the governor enjoys constitutional
immunity, it argued that the privilege does not prohibit investigation, as was
the situation in the case of Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.
How Zamfara Gov. Abdulaziz Yari Bought $1m US Mansion, Kept Foreign
Accounts Two Years After Assuming Office
114 Comments 3 Days Ago
In Mr. Fayose's case, said Concerned Nigerians, 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 is a high ranking member of the All
Progressives Congress (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 an investigation. This is a paradox," the group stated.
Concerned Nigerians also noted that earlier in the week,
SaharaReporters exclusively revealed that Mr. Yari bought a property in the
United States of America for a sum of $950,000
with state funds. This property sits on a 2.1 hectares of land at 14800 Bowie Farm
Court, Bowie Maryland with Zip Code MD20021. It has six rooms and two bathrooms
with a jacuzzi in a master bedroom.
"SaharaReporters has shown incontrovertible evidence that Mr. Yari
paid estate tax in 2017 of $16,583.10. Mr.Yari bought this property two years
after assuming office. Mr. Yari has also been alleged to be operating several
foreign accounts. The EFCC must not just investigate Mr Yari, but freeze all
accounts associated with him where government funds must have been diverted
just like they did in the case of Mr.Fayose," the group demanded.
0 Comments