CSO urges EFCC to conclude case against Yari

By Raymond Mordi, Deputy Political Editor

 

A coalition of civil society organisations has urged the new chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdurasheed Bawa, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other relevant agencies not to sweep the alleged diversion of N22.5 billion by former Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari in the twilight of his administration under the carpet.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, the Executive Director of the Centre for Public Accountability, Comrade Olufemi Lawson, urged the Bawa-led EFCC and other agencies to conclude the probe of the former governor, so that he will have his days in court. Lawson, who spoke on behalf of the coalition, said recent findings suggest that “it was done so brazenly that the available evidence speaks for itself, just like our learned colleagues would say, ‘Res Iqua Loquitor’ the fact speaks for itself”.

Lawson said the group’s interactions with citizens and stakeholders in Zamfara State reveal how the N22.5 billion in question, which was part of the refund from the Federal Government for money expended on federal roads, were diverted from the coffers of the state. He said it is appalling that governors would embezzle money meant for the development of their states during their tenure and would be allowed to move freely on the streets afterwards, without being called to account for their misdeeds in office.

The Executive Director said the coalition is aghast by the monumental fraud that allegedly took place in Zamfara State during the tenure of Yari as governor between 2011 and 2019. He said the coalition is focusing on Zamfara because its findings suggest that there is a correlation between and the current upsurge in banditry and bad governance by successive governments in the state.

His words: “Our findings, which were corroborated by Zamfara citizens indicated that the issue of banditry arose because of lacklustre performance of the successive administrations in the state and became worse during the regime of the former Governor Abdulaziz Yari that he had to relocate from the state to Abuja, thereby abandoning Zamfara citizens to their fate.

“You will also recall that it was widely reported that Yari was invited and grilled by the EFCC for several hours over alleged criminal diversion of the state funds while in office. Our findings based on another document have shown how another N22.5 billion was diverted from the coffers of the state which is now in the public domain…

“There’s a general feeling in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, that the probe of Yari and the recent discovery of the humongous amount diverted in the twilight of his administration is responsible for the onslaught in the media against the current governor.”

Lawson said it is unfortunate that it is profitable today to take up arms, kidnap school children and ask for ransom. He said: “Going by Sheik Gumi’s recent assertion, the bandits are asking for blanket amnesty. What has the state denied them? you may want to ask that we should now grant them blanket amnesty for terrorism in the country. This only points to one direction — failure of leadership.

“The reason kidnapping, armed robbery and banditry have continued to fester, is because of this wanton looting of the state by some of the governors who cared less about the security and the welfare of our people as enshrined in our constitution.”

The Executive Director said Yari’s case is not an isolated one, as corruption has become endemic across the country. He added: “Picking on Yari today is a pointer to the fact that it will get to the other persons on another day.”