The Sokoto Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC today October 9, 2019 carried out an operation at the office of the
Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Zamfara State
leading to the recovery of N65, 548, 000 (Sixty five Million, Five
Hundred and Forty-eight Thousand Naira).
The money in higher denominations of Naira notes was recovered from two
fire proof safe during a search in the offices of the head of Accounts
and Cashier of INEC in the state.
The operation was sequel to a petition by an adhoc staff of the
electoral body, alleging that officials of the Commission illegally
deducted part of the allowance due them for the last general election.
According to the complainant, while INEC in Zamfara allegedly paid its
ad hoc staff the sum of N9,000, others in states like Sokoto were paid
N12,000.
The recovered fund is suspected be part of the funds illegally deducted
from releases meant to cater for the movement of materials and electoral
officials as well as provision of chairs, tables and canopies for the
2019 governorship and presidential elections in the state
Before the raid, the Commission few days ago, had arrested four
officials of INEC in the state. The officials, Hassan Sidi Aliyu,
Administrative Secretary, Hussain Jafar Head of Operations, Abdullahi
Yusuf Abubakar, State Accountant and the Cashier Labaran Ishaka , were
picked for alleged 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).
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).
The 14 Electoral Officers of the state were also arrested. They are:
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 investigation is still on going while efforts are being made to
recover all the illegal deductions.