SUSPEND, PROSECUTE, AND KICK OUT MINISTERS, AIDES WITH PENDING CORRUPTION CHARGES AND VALIDATED ALLEGATIONS NANS URGES PRESIDENT TINUBU
The attention of the Senate Secretariat of the apex students’ governing body, the National Association Of Nigerian Students (NANS) has been drawn to a publication from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission vowing to revisit the case of alleged #70 billion fraud against the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, while he was the Governor of Zamfara State from 2019 through 2023 and other Ministers with pending cases of corruption.
This revelation was disclosed by the EFCC’s Acting Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwajuren, who disclosed this while addressing protesters under the aegis of Zamfara Alternative Forum (ZAF), who stormed the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Friday, demanding the continuation of the investigation of the fraud allegations against the embattled ex- Governor.
As a responsible and formidable students’ body we demand the immediate continuation of the comprehensive investigations and persecution of the former Zamfara State Governor and current minister of State for Defense. It is disturbing to see that a serving Minister for State
Defence is having pending issues of fraud against him. Further information reveals he is being investigated for allegedly diverting money sourced as a loan from an old generation bank purportedly for the execution of projects across the local government areas of Zamfara State.
Information at our disposal shows that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigations so far as disclosed in May 2023 reveal that over 100 companies received payments from the funds, with no evidence of service rendered to the state, Some of the contractors who had been invited and quizzed by the Commission made startling revelations on how they were allegedly compelled by the governor to return the funds received from the state coffers back to him through his aides after converting the same to United States Dollars.
“They confirmed that they did not render any service to Zamfara State but were allegedly directed to convert the monies paid to them into United States Dollars and return to the State Governor through some of his Commissioners, notably the Commissioners in charge of Finance and Local Government Affairs while he was serving as Governor of Zamfara State, an act that will definitely have retrogressive and negative impacts on the good people of Zamfara State in terms of infrastructural amenities and developments across the state.
NANS is appealing to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider kicking out corrupt Ministers and Aides in his administration pending the outcome of the corruption charges levied against them by anti graft agencies. In the spirit of fairness and equity. We believe in Mr. President’s exemplary leadership sagacity and ability to take positively inclined independent decisions aimed at further convincing Nigerians about the commitment and dedication of the current administration to uphold equity, justice, fairness and most importantly renewing the lost hope of Nigerians .
Finally, NANS is sceptical about the partial justice metted in the case of alleged money transactions paid into private accounts by the displaced Humanitarian Affairs Minister who is now under suspension, we believe the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Olatunji Ojo whose company – Planet Projects was used to siphon part of the money should be suspended too so that it does not give the justice a tribal colouration.
We believe President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR is a man of integrity and will surely do the needful as our eyes are keenly watching his actions.
To before warned is to before armed, NANS will not hesitate to shut down the FCT if justice is not done accordingly.
An injustice to one is an injustice to all.
