The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested and quizzed four officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for alleged diversion of N84, 696,000 meant for the payment of ad hoc staff engaged for the 2019 presidential and governorship elections in the country.
The suspects, who were grilled by the Sokoto Zonal Office of the anti –graft agency, are from Zamfara State office of INEC.
The suspects are the Administrative Secretary, Hassan Sidi Aliyu; the Head of Operations, Hussain Jafar; the State Accountant, Abdullahi Yusuf Abubakar, and Abdulmumin Usman.
A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the suspects were grilled for “alleged case of conspiracy, breach of trust and criminal diversion of Ad Hoc staff allowance to the tune of N84, 696,000.
“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, alleged that the Ad hoc staff were denied payment of their N6,000 movement allowance each for the two elections.
“He further alleged that what the INEC officials in Zamfara paid to them was different from what other states paid their Ad hoc staff. The INEC office in Zamfara allegedly paid its staff N9000 while in other states like Sokoto State, the electoral commission paid N12000 each.
The statement added: “Investigation by the EFCC revealed that none of the 10,500 presiding officers, who participated in the elections, were paid their entitlements cumulatively put at N84, 696,000
“Efforts are being made by the Commission to recover the money criminally diverted by 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); and Hassan Abdullahi (Shinkafi LGA).
“The suspects would be arraigned in court as soon as investigation is completed.”