The Sokoto Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday handed over 53 tricycles which were recovered from a fraudulent contractor to Zamfara Government.
Mr Abdullahi Lawal, EFCC Zonal Head in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara, handed over the tricycles to the Secretary to the Zamfara State Government, Alhaji Bala Bello-Maru, on Monday in Sokoto.
“We are here to present 53 tricycles to Zamfara state government after painstaking and deligent investigation that led to the recovery from a contractor.
Lawal said the commission’s zonal office which began operation in February was investigating 60 cases in the state involving N200 billion.
The zonal head said the cases were against individuals, private and public institutions as well as government agencies.
He said between February and now, the commission had received about 200 petitions fron governments, private organisations and individuals.
Lawal revealed that some bank accounts connected with the fraudulent activities being investigated had been frozen.
”The commission is investigating activities of the last administration and has assured the people of Zamfara state that it will not relent on its effort to prosecute anyone found culpable,” Lawal said.
The zonal head explained that some contractors who had abandoned projects after receiving billions of Naira from their clients, had mobilised back to sites, following the investigations.
Lawal appealed to contractors who collected payments and had yet to commence, complete or hand over such projects, to mobilise back to site in thier own interest.
He added that the commission would embark on project monitoring and evaluation, in collaboration with experts and relevant agencies.
The zonal head enjoined members of the public to cooperate with EFCC by volunteering vital information on corrupt practices and public officers living above their means.
Lawal stressed that the federal government’s whistle blowing policy was still effective.
He urged the people to take advantage of it to rid the country of all forms of corruption which had hindered the country’s progress.
The secretary to Zamfara government commended EFCC for its efforts and said the present administration in the state received petitions on abandoned projects and other fraudulent activities involving billions of Naira.
Bello-Maru said that following the EFCC investigations, many contractors had mobilised back to sites to complete the projects awarded to them.
