Alleged N3.5 billion fraud by Nigeria Governors: Court orders interim forfeiture of N1.2 billion to federal govt ~ Sportty

Alleged N3.5 billion fraud by Nigeria Governors: Court orders interim forfeiture of N1.2 billion to federal govt

From left: Governors: Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano; Simon Lalong of Plateau State; Rochas Okorocha of Imo State; and Abdul'aziz Yari of Zamfara State, during a meeting between APC Governors and the Party’s National Working Committee in Abuja on Wednesday (9/7/2017).
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A federal court on Friday ordered that N1.2 billion allegedly paid a firm ‘fraudulently’ by the Nigeria Governors Forum be forfeited to the federal government.

The court gave the ruling based on an application by the anti-graft agency EFCC.

In granting the EFCC prayers, Justice Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court in Lagos ordered anyone interested in the money to appear before the court within 14 days to show cause why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the EFCC has been investigating the alleged fraud by the NGF, a body of the governors of Nigeria’s 36 states.

That investigation by the EFCC is believed to be one of the reasons several governors, and senators loyal to them, are opposed to Ibrahim Magu as substantive EFCC chairman.

Investigations by the EFCC show that the N1.2 billion is part of the Paris Club refund given to states by the federal government.

President Muhammadu Buhari has repeatedly stated his displeasure with how many states refused to pay workers’ salaries despite receiving the refund and other bailout funds.