A pro-democracy and transparency-focused group, Concerned Nigerians, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate Mr. Abdul'aziz Yari, governor of Zamfara State, and freeze all of his bank accounts.
The group made the demand in a statement signed by Messrs. Deji Adeyanju and John Danfulani, Convener and Secretary respectively.
Concerned Nigerians noted that Mr. Yari was alleged, in May, to have diverted $3 million from the Paris Club Refund to build a 100-room Hotel in Lekki, Lagos and another N500million from the special account of the Nigeria Governors' Forum and deposited the said sum into a mortgage bank account to pay off a loan. The group referred to an exclusive report by SaharaReporters stating that Mr. Yari, who is the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors' Forum used the money to pay back a loan he obtained from a mortgage institution to purchase two properties in 2013.
It equally noted that the EFCC, which investigated the matter, has refused to act or disclose to the public the outcome of its investigation, even when the mortgage bank forfeited the N500million to the commission. While stating that the EFCC could claim that the governor enjoys constitutional immunity, it argued that the privilege does not prohibit investigation, as was the situation in the case of Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose. [story_link align="right"]53704[/story_link]
In Mr. Fayose's case, said Concerned Nigerians, the commission regularly updated Nigerians on its investigation on the matter.
"It is pertinent to note that the Zamfara State Governor is the Chairman of Nigeria Governors' Forum and he is a high ranking member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and very close to President Muhammadu Buhari. This is a government that claims to be fighting corruption, but the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors' Forum is spearheading corruption and he has been exempted from an investigation. This is a paradox," the group stated.
Concerned Nigerians also noted that earlier in the week, SaharaReporters exclusively revealed that Mr. Yari bought a property in the United States of America for a sum of $950,000 with state funds. This property sits on a 2.1 hectares of land at 14800 Bowie Farm Court, Bowie Maryland with Zip Code MD20021. It has six rooms and two bathrooms with a jacuzzi in a master bedroom.
"SaharaReporters has shown incontrovertible evidence that Mr. Yari paid estate tax in 2017 of $16,583.10. Mr.Yari bought this property two years after assuming office. Mr. Yari has also been alleged to be operating several foreign accounts. The EFCC must not just investigate Mr Yari, but freeze all accounts associated with him where government funds must have been diverted just like they did in the case of Mr.Fayose," the group demanded.
