The Kano State Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has nabbed five officials of the Katsina Internal Revenue Service in connection with an alleged ₦1.3 billion fraud.
The persons, identified as Rabiu Abdullahi, Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Ibrahim M. Kofar Soro, Ibrahim Aliyu and Nura Lawal Kofar Sauri, were taken into custody last Saturday, January 11.
The spokesperson of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Dele Oyewale, confirmed their arrest in Abuja on Monday, specifying that the total amount allegedly embezzled by the suspects is ₦1,294,337,676.53.
According to Oyewale, the arrests were made following a petition by the Katsina state government, which accused the officials of conspiring to embezzle the funds.
He noted that this amount was intended for the state government, coming from the World Health Organization (WHO), Doctors Without Borders and the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA).
He explained, “Preliminary investigations by the committee have revealed that Rabiu Abdullahi, a former director of collections of the board and the current permanent secretary of the board, authorized the opening of a bank account in the name of ‘BOIRS’ at Sterling Bank, where he reportedly appointed Sanusi Mohammed Yaro. , Director of Revenue Account and Ibrahim M. Kofar Soro as the sole signatories of the account.
“The account then became the primary channel through which all the money would be channeled to the main beneficiary NADIKKO General Suppliers, a company owned and controlled by Nura Lawal Kofar Sauri, a Deputy Director of Career Skills/Employee Welfare of the Council of Management.
“Investigations further revealed that Nura Lawal and his company ‘NADIKKO’ became the main channels used to launder the stolen funds. These laundered funds could be traced to the various bank accounts of the suspects.”
The EFCC spokesperson said the suspects had been detained at the Kano Zone Command of the commission, adding that they would be arraigned in court upon completion of investigations.