The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered how 24 ex-lawmakers of Kwara House of Assembly, former Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu and some companies allegedly swindled the state of about N5 billion.
Mr Wilson Uwujaren, Head of media and publicity of the Commission, disclosed this in a statement made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin on Friday.
According to him, the money belongs to the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) between 2015 to 2019.
Uwujaren said that the immediate past Chairman of KWIRS, Prof. Muritala Awodu, former member of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Moshood Bakare and some staff of KWIRS are presently being interrogated by the Commission.
“It was discovered during investigations that about five companies linked to highly placed Politicians in Kwara State benefited about N4 billion from the money, without any valid contractual agreements with the State Government.
“Other beneficiaries of the money includes, all the former 24 members of the Kwara House of Assembly including the speaker, Dr Ali Ahmad, former Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, ex-Kwara State Accountant General, Ishola Sulyman, Permanent Secretaries among others,” Uwujaren said.
The head of media said that a staff of KWIRS, while being interrogated by the operatives of the Commission, said that the House of Assembly members were collecting N4 million monthly for public relations, which they shared among themselves.
According to him, the former Kwara State Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu was collecting N5 million monthly without working for it.
“In fact, Mr Banu collect it in cash, I do take it to his house, if we don’t give him, he won’t approve anything we take to him.”
Uwujaren said that the Chairman, House Committee on appropriation and finance said that they usually send the money into the account of his personal assistant who will then withdraw the money and give it to him.
He said that the Chairman will therefore hand it over to the Speaker, Dr Ali Ahmad, and will later share it to all the honourable members.
He said further, “Some Honourable Members do collect the money in cash while some will insist that the money should be transferred into their accounts.”
Uwujaren said that it was further discovered that a Personal Assistant to the Former Governor of Kwara, Rafiu Olasile allegedly received the sum of N10 million from one of the aides to ex-Chairman of House Committee on Appropriation and Finance.
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