EFCC grills Zamfara INEC officials

The Sokoto Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arrested Hassan Sidi Aliyu, AdministrativeSecretary, Hussain Jafar Head of Operations, Abdullahi Yusuf Abubakar State Accountant and Abdulmumin Usman all of the Independent National a Electoral Commission,INEC in Zamfara state, for an alleged case of conspiracy, breach of trust and criminal diversion of Ad Hoc staff allowance to the tune of N84, 696,000 (Eighty Four Million, Six Hundred and Ninety Six Thousand Naira).

The petitioner one Abdullahi Nasiru who wrote on behalf of all presiding officers that worked for INEC during the 2019 Presidential and Gubernatorial elections in Zamfara State, alleges that the Adhoc staff were denied payment of their N6,000 movement allowance each for the two elections.

He further alleged that what the Commission paid to them was different from what other states paid their Adhoc staff. The Commision allegedly paid its staff the sum of N9000 (Nine Thousand Naira ) in Zamfara while other states like Sokoto State, the commission paid N12000 (Twelve Thousand Naira ).

Investigation by the EFCC revealed that none of the 10,500 presiding officers who participated in the elections were paid their entitlements commutatively put at N84, 696,000 (Eighty Four Million, Six Hundred and Ninety Six Thousand Naira). Effort is being made by the Commission to recover the money criminally diverted by the 3 INEC heads of department and Electoral Officers of the 14

Local governments in Zamfara State namely; Abdullahi Sambawa, Zurmi LGA; Aliyu Jafaru Goronyo, Maradun LGA; Balarabe Ahmed S Gobir, Gummi LGA; Amadu Ibrahim, Gusau LGA; Mohammed Bashir Musa, Kaura Namoda LGA; Dalhatu Usman Musa,Birnin Magaji LGA; Abdulmumin Usman, Maru LGA;

Muhammad Nasir Saidu, Talatu Mafara LGA; Abdullahi A. Ukashatu, Tsafe LGA; Tukur Garba Kaita, Bungudu LGA; Salihu Musa Abdullahi, Bukuyun LGA; Sadiq Abdullahi, Fari Anka LGA; Lawali Muhammed, Argungu Bakura LGA; Jafaru Gide, Shinkafi LGA; Tanimu Muhammad, Shinkafi LGA; Hassan Abdullahi,Shinkafi LGA. The suspects would be arraigned in court as soon as investigation is completed.