Embezzlement: 16 Kwara LG Chairmen Arrested By EFCC Over Alleged N4bn Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kwara state Zone has detained sixteen local government chairmen of the state who were suspended by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for alleged misappropriation of N4 billion loan and ten percent of the state’s internally generated revenue.

Names of the local government chairmen arrested on Friday are; Risikat Opakunle, Saidu Yaru Musa, Umar Belle, Ayeni Dallas, Fatai Adeniyi Garba, Lah Abdulmumeen, Raliat Funmi Salau, Aminat Omodara, Muyiwa Oladipo.

Others are, Oladipo Omole, Abdullahi Abubakar Bata, Saka Eleyele, Lateef Gbadamosi, Oni Adebayo Joseph, Omokanye Joshua Olatunji and Jibril Salihu.

The EFCC in a statement signed by Wilson Uwujaren, Head of Media and Publicity, said the commission gathered that the council chiefs after securing the controversial loans, held a meeting and decided that one hundred million naira be shared among themselves.

As claimed by the EFCC, the council bosses had on the 7th of February 2018 written to the Ilorin branch manager of Sterling Bank requesting a four billion naira loan in order to pay the salary arrears of the State Universal Basic Education Board teachers, local government staff and the local government pensioners, while the provisions for one hundred million for council chairmen were not appropriated in the request.

It alleged that the council chiefs were also accused of diverting monthly ten percent of the internally generated revenue for their personal use which was paid directly into their personal accounts.

The EFCC said that all the suspects while undergoing interrogation by the operatives of the Commission admitted that N100 million was shared from the loan and also received ten percent of the internally generated revenue.

The statement added, “The council bosses are now pleading with the EFCC to give them some time that they would pay back what they benefited from government’s money”.

The EFCC said that the Politicians are still in their Custody and may spend the weekend with them as of the time of filing this report. They would be charged to court after the investigations had been concluded.