Five Katsina Internal Revenue Officials officials have been arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission attached to the Kano State Command for their alleged involvement in N1.3 billion fraud.
Rabiu Abdullahi, Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Ibrahim M. Kofar Soro, Ibrahim Aliyu, and Nura Lawal Kofar Sauri were among those arrested.
Dele Oyewale, spokesman of the anti-graft agency who confirmed their arrest in Abuja on Monday, gave the amount of money allegedly diverted by the suspects as N1, 294,337,676.53k.
According to him, the suspects were arrested following a petition from the Katsina state government, alleging that the suspects colluded and diverted the money.
According to Oyewale, the money was accrued to the state government’s coffer from the World Health Organization, Medicins Sans Frontiers, and Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA).
“Preliminary investigation by the commission showed that Rabiu Abdullahi, a former Director of Collections of the Board and current Permanent Secretary of the Board authorized the opening of a bank account in the name of ‘BOIRS’ at Sterling Bank where he allegedly designated Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Director of Revenue Account and Ibrahim M. Kofar Soro as sole signatories to the account.
“Subsequently, the account became the primary channel through which all the funds were allegedly funneled to the main beneficiary NADIKKO General Suppliers, a company owned and controlled by Nura Lawal Kofar Sauri, an Assistant Director of Career Skills/Staff Welfare of the Board.
“Investigation further revealed that Nura Lawal and his company “NADIKKO” became the principal conduits used to launder the stolen funds. These laundered funds were traced to the various bank accounts of the suspects,” Oyewale said.
The EFCC spokesman explained that the suspects had been detained at the Kano Zonal Command of the commission, stressing that they would be charged to court on completion of investigations.
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