Ex Zamfara gov, Yari to account missing N37bn

By Abba Kabara, Gusau.

Former governor of Zamfara state Alhaji Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari is once again indicted for alleged unlawful diversion of a whooping sun of N37.4 billion naira, being a refund from the federal government for the execution of 14 federal roads projects in the state.

The state commissioner of finance Hon Rabi’u Garba Gusau who exposed the alleged fraud at a press briefing today, said the initial cost of the project submitted to the federal government for reembarsment was 47.3bl naira, but after assessment and cost evaluation, the amount due was pegged to N37.4bl naira.

He explained that the people of the state who are the legal owners of the fund were fully aware of the refund still awaiting payment by the federal government, but as at the time of change of government from the previous administration, the issue was not reflected in the handing over document.

The commissioner said this informed the decission of the new administration led by governor Bello Matawalle to formally write to the federal government to enqiure about the actual situation of the said fund.

“What suprises the governor was the reply that the fund was already paid since January 1st 2019”, he said, but according to him this financial transaction was not captured in the handing over document and there was no evidence to backup the recovery of the fund.

Garba said on further enqiure about the situation of the money from the office of the then minister of finance, it was confirmed by the then serving minister that the fund was actually paid to Zamfara state government.

He said the most worrying thing surrounding the alleged scam was that the then governor Yari gave a written directive that the sum be paid to two different individuals, a female and a male who were both staffers serving under Nigerian Governor’s Forum.

“Our investigation confirms that the male recipient was then the Director-general of the NGE, who was not even a citizen of Zamfara, but was given the executive permission to collect a sum of N22.4bl naira, while the lady collected a sum of N14.9bl naira.

He said the state is in desperate need of this money belonging to the citizens who are in need of various projects to upgrade their welfare, calling on relevant security organs, the human rights organisations, the federal government, the federal legislature to Wade into the matter to ensure that this sum is fully recovered from the former governor as the chief accounting officer at the time.

Frantic efforts to get accross to the former governor Abdulaziz Yari for comment over the allegation failed, but responding on behalf of Yari, a prominent political figure Hon. Sani Gwamna, who is also the vice chiarman APC Zamfara State chapter Alhaji Sani Gwamna, dismissed the allegation as ridiculous, baseless and shameful.

“The commissioner is a confused fellow who deos’t understand proper channel to settle such issues, suggesting that he should have advised his government to refer the matter to the EFCC for the recovery of the money, “if he has the evidence to prove his claim” he said.

Hon. Gwamma further suggests that on the alternative, the state government can simply go to court for legal claim .