A fresh petition filed against former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, may have triggered the raid by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on his Abuja residence on Wednesday.
The petition, dated April 8, 2024, and obtained by THE WHISTLER on Thursday, alleged misappropriation and criminal conversion of funds meant for the 21 local government areas during Bello’s tenure from May 2016 to January 2024.
The petition, filed by a civil society group named Kogi Conscience and addressed to the EFCC chairman, accused Bello and the 21 LG chairmen who served in his administration of diverting over N300bn allocated to the local governments through a joint account controlled by the state government.
Among those named as alleged culprits is the current Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, who served as the Auditor-General for Local Government under Bello’s administration.
Others are Mr Ibrahim Abagwu, Muhammed Muktar Shuaibu, Ishaq Shaibu Okolo, Onoja Ignatius Amajogwu, Patrick Onogu, Abuh Odoma, Thomas Offor, Williams Obiora, Hassan Atawodi.
The petition also mentioned Muhammed Musa Lawal, Yakubu Ibrahim Aboh and Adejoh Nicodemus Friday, Abdul-Razak Muhammed, Midulrahman Ohiare Ozovehe, Omuya Joseph, Goke Oparison, Mustapha Akaba, Ashiru Lawal, Abdulkerim Isah Sani, Moses Tolorunleke and Taofiq Isah.
Others are Sunday Yalumo. Hon. Pius, Hon. Kabiru Idris, Hon. Muhammed Ibrahim (Ayuba Nana), Hon. Sule Amodu, Ijagbemi Idris, Barr. Abdulsalam Momoh Jim0h Ozigi, Engr Abubakar Ohere, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo And Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
The petitioners said despite the huge allocations, there was “unprecedented maladministration, deprivation and under-development” in the LGAs under Bello, with civil servants going for months without full salaries.
The petitioners said the alleged funds diversion resulted in “unprecedented suffering and hardship to our people with records of several deaths and stories of hunger, starvation and withdrawal of wards from institutions of learning.”
The Kogi Conscience urged the EFCC to investigate the management of the LG funds and bring all those found culpable to justice.
“So, we wish to further inform you that between the period of May 2016 – January 2024, the 21 Local Government Areas of Kogi state under the leadership and governance of the aforementioned persons were allocated a total sum of Three Hundred Billion, Sixty-Nine Million, Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Three Nairn, Fifty-Eight Kobo (N300, 069. 350, 703. 58) only,” read part of the petition signed by Peter Onuma (National President) and Comrade Peter Jacob (General Secretary).
“Sir, may we state that the basis of our complaint is that the period under review of May, 2016 – January 2024, witnessed unprecedented maladministration, deprivation and under-development of our Local Government Areas and people as civil servants, staff of the Local Government Areas were for most of the months not paid their salaries or paid percentage salaries ranging between five percent to thirty percent of their monthly salaries thereby evolving a period of unprecedented suffering and hardship to our people with records of several deaths and stories of hunger, starvation and withdrawal of wards from institutions of learning.
“Sir, it must be added that under the watch of the above-mentioned persons for the period under review, our Local Government Areas witnessed zero development as there were practically no projects of whatever nature embarked upon or completed by the Council Chairmen.
“In fact, insecurity, crimes and criminality which are the natural consequences of leadership-induced hardship became the order of the day.
“It is therefore our position for ourselves and on behalf of the good and peace-loving people of Kogi state that the sums so appropriated from the Federation Accounts through the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission as shown in the graph attached hereto to this letter were grossly misappropriated, criminally converted to their personal estate, thereby breaching the trust of the Kogi people.
“May we further add that the foregoing sums as allocated are less than the internally generated revenue of each of the 21 Local Government Areas for the period under review which we readily don’t have the record owing to the clandestine modus operandi of the managers of the system.
“We, therefore, call on your exalted office as the conscience of the Nigerian Nation to rise in defence of your mandate and cause an investigation to be conducted into the management of the resources of the 21 Local Government Areas of Kogi State for said period of May 2016 – January 2024 so as to determine the transparency or otherwise of same and to bring all persons found wanting in this regard to book”
