Mass probe hit local government chairmen

BY ALEX OLISE

A mass probe of local government’s subvention in the 36 states of the federation is to begin as President Muhammadu Buhari has given his nod to the anti-corruption agencies to investigate how billions of naira was spent by the local government chairmen across the country.

National Daily authoritatively gathered at the weekend that the large scale probe would involve all the Council areas in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Abuja.

It was gathered that the decision to probe the chairmen was sequel to avalanche of petitions received by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) offices in Abuja and its Zonal office in Lagos.

A source at the commission disclosed the planned probe to National Daily, at the weekend saying that contents of the petitions contained enough evidence that would assist the commission to arrest and prosecute some past Local Council’s Chairmen and their collaborators including contractors; who over the years siphoned moneys met to develop council areas across the country.

It was also gathered that while engaging in looting spree, the chairmen enriched themselves rather than spending the money to develop rural areas they were met to preside over thereby bringing pains and hardship to the generality of Nigerians.

The revelation to investigate the councils came barely 24 hours after Buhari addressed top officials and staff of Aso Villa, Abuja, restating his avowed determination to continue the on-going probe of financial recklessness by past public leaders.

The Ibrahim Magu-led EFCC has been digging into the past records of governors, ministers and other government agencies, bank officers and the private sectors who have had direct dealings with the government.

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The commission has recovered billions of dollars while some properties belonging to government functionaries have been confiscated.

It was learnt that some of the revelations of monstrous siphoning of local government money was made known following investigation carried out by men of the Nigerian Police force under the leadership of the former Inspector General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase.

Through intelligence gathering, under IGP Solomon Arase, who retired from the service on 21st June 2016, and replaced by acting IGP Ibrahim Idris, who was until his appointment was Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Force Operations at the force headquarters.
The new police boss, who was officially introduced to the force personnel on Wednesday at the Louis Edet House force headquarters, Abuja assured the nation that his regime would give all necessary support in the on-going war against corruption and crime currently ravaging the country.

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“I will fight crime and allow the rule of law to take its course” he assured.

However, investigations revealed that some states in the South South, South West, South – East and North- East are mostly affected and have been fingered by stakeholders where large embezzlement of public funds were carried out in the past eight years with abandonment of many projects despite that funds were released for such projects.

The massive corruption has culminated into the inability of about 27 states of the federation to pay salaries of workers since November 2015.

It was further gathered that some Governors of the affected states after winning the 2015 elections and sworn in, they were said to be shocked when they discovered so many abandoned projects which were already paid for through the Local Council bosses but were collected and projects abandoned.

A police source who is part of the investigative team said the Economic and Financial Crime Commission agents have been positioned in strategic places to checkmate those that might want to escape from the country.

It would be recalled that for the past eight months, federal government and its crime fighting agencies have sustained investigation on the spurious looting especially the arm deal orchestrated by the former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki.

In addition, the former Minister of petroleum Diezani Allison Madueke, is under intensive investigation even though she is said to be receiving treatment at a United Kingdom hospital for cancer related illness.