By Tony Ogbechie
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has quizzed some former officials of Akwanga Local Government Council in Nasarawa State, for allegedly defrauding the council of N50 million.
They were quizzed at the Kaduna Zonal Officer of the anti-graft agency.
Their ordeal followed a petition against the former council boss by a contractor, Yakubu Madawa, whose company’s name was allegedly used to collect loans from a bank.
The council officials affected were the immediate past deputy chairman, Safiyanu Isa (Roba), the former speaker, Hon. Zakariya Jibrin, the clerk, supervisory councillor for works and the former 11 elected councillors.
The contractor alleged that the chairman invited him to handle the borehole contracts in the 11 electoral wards in the area, and that the contract didn’t see the light of the day.
A credible source said the contractor got angry because the loan was given via his account, but he was denied the contract, rather, he was made to transfer the money to some officials of the council.
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He said: “It was later realised that over N30 million was cornered by the former council boss on the ground that he would pay the contractor, while the deputy, speaker and the 11 councillors also got their cuts, and that was why EFCC invited them,” the source said.
A former councillor of Ningo/Boher ward in Akwanga LG, Solomon Danjuma, confirmed that they (all the councillors) were invited to Kaduna by EFCC for questioning, but they had no hand in the deal.
Contacted, the former council boss, Samuel Meshi, denied being invited by the operatives of EFCC.
However, sources close to the EFCC said that the council officials were granted administrative bail, after some top government officials pleaded for their release.
