Govs Babangida Aliyu, Ahmed in N81 Billion Naira Fraud…The Saraki Connection

Two of the rebel Governors,  Kwara’s  helmsman, Abdulfattah Ahmed, and Niger States’ Babangida Aliyu, are alleged to be involved in some multi Billion naira  deals  running into over N81 billion.

Sources has it gathered that While Ahmed is alleged to have used a Bureau de Change owned by his brother to move N60 Billion through about 40 bank accounts, Aliyu is yet to account for the N9 billion he got through the capital market and another N6 billion the state got from Zenith Bank for ‘infrastructural developments’

 

It was learnt that this is one of the reasons why the breakaway Governors had insisted the President asked the anti graft agency to back off them and their commissioners as part of the deal for peace.

When the G7 Governors met with President Goodluck Jonathan, they raised four issues:

That he should stop EFCC from” harassing” Governors and their aides, resolve the Nigeria Governors Forum(NGF) impasse, help return  the structures of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Rivers and Adamawa structures to Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Murtala Nyako respectively, among other issues

 

Some Governors especially Gov. Jonah Jang asked his colleagues not to drag Jonathan into the NGF issue. Jang insisted that Jigawa’s Sule Lamido and other Northern Governors asked him to contest the NGF election and that they all caused the fighting within the NGF.

 

When the issue of the EFCC came up, sources privy to the goings on hinted that  Akpabio   asked the Governors to find individual ways of resolving any issue with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

He gave an example of how a petition against his sister had caused her to be stopped from entering Germany for medicals. He said when the German Government investigated the petition, they found it to be false and then gave his sister entry permit.

 

EFCC Sources said the reason why the G7 Governors are afraid is because their immunity ends in 2015 and they want to be protected against any EFCC probes which is key to their freedom after office.

Pointblanknews.com sources hinted that Governor Ahmed  is in a very deep mess and has complicated former Governor Bukola  Saraki’s case.

 

Sources hinted that EFCC found out that Ahmed’s  younger brother runs a Bureau De Change which they use in laundering money. EFCC sources said over N60 Billion in about 40 accounts have been traced to the Governor’s younger brother. The Bureau the change is used as the front. The money according to EFCC dates back to when Saraki was Governor.

The EFCC has been on the trail of Saraki before Jonathan became President. In fact, sources said because of Saraki and Ex Delta Gover, James Ibori’s roles in the appointment of Farida Waziri as EFCC chairman, his( Saraki) probe was stopped. Yar’Adua ensured that he was protected. Sources said at no time did the Attorney General cleared Saraki of any wrong doing.

This, it was further learnt, is the reason why Saraki has been a regular visitor to the EFCC recently. Pointblanknews.com learnt that the EFCC stumbled on the Ahmed/Saraki deal when the commission was perusing the books of defunct Societe Generale Bank owned by the Sarakis.

This is the link: Governor Ahmed was Saraki’s Commissioner for Finance and Planning. Gbemi Saraki was the preferred candidate of late Olusola Saraki for Governor. But sources said because Saraki has a lot of deals with Ahmed as his Commissioner for Finance, he insisted that he took over from him as Governor to cover his tracks. Late Olusola Saraki considers Gbemi as a more grass rooted politician but lost out when her brother used money to bribe his way into reckoning.

As for Aliyu this was how the N6 Billion bond deal from Zenith was tidied. a document entitled HR.NO.10 2008/2009-Resolution Granting Approval to the Executive Governor Of Niger state, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu,OON, To Enable him obtain N=6billion bond facilities in favor of  Niger state Government” Dated Tuesday,11 Day of November, 2008. Signed by Pharm.MM Alkali., Honourable Speaker and Mohammed A. Rijau, Permanent Secretary/ Clerk,  partly stated Thus; “Whereas: The Government of Niger State is committed to the provision of infrastructural development for the purpose  of enhancing the  welfare and well being of our people, the state Government after due consideration and consultations with the stakeholders and indeed purposeful deliberations by the state Executive Council came into conclusion that the available source is to seek for loan facility from the capital  market through a bond; after the conclusion therefore, the state Government in partnership with Zenith Bank PLC arranged to obtain a loan facility of N=6billion from the capital market”

A year earlier the state had gotten N9 Billion from the capital market for same infrastructural development but till date nothing is on ground.

On December 12 2008, the Niger state Ministry of Finance, wrote to the Minister of Finance informing the Ministry of the deductions from the monthly Federal allocations to the state.

In the letter entitled “Irrevocable Standing order, for deduction from the Account of Niger state Government in respect of N=6billion infrastructural Development Projects Bond” signed by Aminu Yusuf, Commissioner for finance, Abubakar Tukur, Accountant General, Engr. Sani Ndanusa, commissioner for Transport and infrastructure and Mu’azu  Babangida Aliyu, the state Government instructed the Federal Ministry, to make a monthly deduction of  N=142,377,502.73. With commencement date of January, 2009, with tenor of 60 months.

 

The letter further directed thus “The Niger state Government  hereby gives to the Federal Ministry of Finance an irrevocable  standing payment Order (ISPO) to deduct from the state statutory Allocation the principal sum and interest (COUPON) as per the attached scheduled and pay same to the Account of Zenith Trust Company Ltd/ Niger state infrasture Development Bond Account No. 6013808602.

Aliyu had also in 2010 approved the sum of N23,269,890.00 for a  medical trip to the United Kingdom for the state Chief Judge, Justice Jibrin Ndajiwo. He was to be accompanied by his wife Ashta, but the trip never was.

The state Government claimed the Niger state House of Assembly received an invitation to the 56 CPA international and the CPA regional conferences holding in Nairobi Kenya on September 10-19, 2010 and South Africa July 24-31 2010 respectively. The  House submitted a bill of over N=49,000,000,00 for the two trips.

 

Source:Pointblanknews.com