Even though the Taraba state governor,\u00a0 Danbaba Danfulani Suntai is still in Germany receiving treatment from the high degree injury he sustained when his aircraft crashed, more troubles seems to be coming his way as there are indications that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has begun investigating activities of his administration.<\/p>\n
Reports making the rounds has it that, the EFCC, is investigating high level of alleged\u00a0 crimes bothering on conspiracy, abuse of office, misappropriation of public funds and money laundering related activities running into billions of naira.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0 administration became an object of attention when the North East zone of the anti-corruption agency was notified of such activities by one Haruna Sabongari, a resident of Jalingo in Taraba state. It was also said that the petition was later\u00a0 forwarded to the agency\u2019s headquarters in Abuja for action.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0 petitioner alleged\u00a0 that Gov. Suntai is in the habit of conniving with some officials of the state government to divert funds through phony contracts awards and serious money releases to agents and cronies.<\/p>\n
The petitioner wanted EFCC to get explanation to how the sum of N\u2026\u2026400 ,000,000 was allegedly released on January 9th 2008 by the commissioner of works for the renovation of DORNER 388-110 MSM 3031 Aircraft belonging to the Taraba state government. He equally\u00a0 wanted the agency to probe\u00a0 another N173,635,471.72K which he alleged was released to have been released to Anthony Adda, the commissioner of Education on March 27, 2008 for sundry expenditures.<\/p>\n
Mr Adda, according to the petitioner was also given the sum of N418,072,339.62K for the construction of a library and twin lecture theatres for the university.<\/p>\n
The petitioner stated that funds released at various times for different purposes were diverted. Media reports had it that the petitioner, said the petitioner vehemently stressed that, the funds so released at different intervals were simply diverted.<\/p>\n
Another set of allegations of financial impropriety has it that, the governor also released the sum of N1, 755, 850.60k which was released to the commissioner for works on October 10, 2008 for the review of Jalingo also went into personal pockets. Just as the governor allegedly released the sum of N1.3 billion to messrs Quinmes Nigeria Ltd for the construction of Karim-Lamido road on November 16th 2007 and also awarded the contract for the supply of fertilizer through his commissioner for Agriculture, Godwin Nyame.<\/p>\n
The petitioner went further to list 16 patrol jeeps allegedly acquired by the state government and handed over to the local government council areas as one of the various conduit pipes of the governor. The jeeps were allegedly bought at an inflated cost of N11,002,046.59K per unit.
\nAs if that is not enough, the petitioner also want the anti-graft agency to investigate the N13.7 billion loan secured by the state government.<\/p>\n
It was hinted that, officials of the agency swung into action recently by interrogating officials of Kai Kean Amenities and Veg Kani Investment Ltd through Alhaji Sanni Koka, the Chairman of Jalingo local government council. Impeccable sources also have it that, government officials mentioned in the alleged scams were equally confronted by the EFCC.<\/p>\n
Whereas others have already appeared before the EFCC to answer questions relating to the allegations, the Governor on the other hand could not be quizzed because of the constitutional immunity he currently enjoys but checks revealed that, like other ex-governors, he may be compared to face the anti graft agency as soon as he completes his tenure.<\/p>\n
Taraba state seems to be highly engrossed in high level of reckless financial spending without recourse to financial regulations. Recently, a former deputy governor in the state, Alhaji Abubakar Danladi was impeached owing largely to financial irregularity when it was confirmed that he diverted massive funds meant to be channeled into the World Bank and Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, ICT centres and motorized boreholes, to his private school; Yagai Academy.<\/p>\n
It was however reported that, the Commissioner of Information in the state, Mr. Emmanuel Bello debunked the allegations with a wave of the hand, as according to him, the allegations are baseless hence such had been raised\u00a0 by some individuals but died a natural death.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe allegations were only recycled by mischief makers to distract the governor. But governor Suntai will not be distracted by a few disgruntled elements in the state but remain focused to give the people the dividends of democracy\u201d, he barked.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Even though the Taraba state governor,\u00a0 Danbaba Danfulani Suntai is still in Germany receiving treatment from the high degree injury he sustained when his aircraft crashed, more troubles seems to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5773,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n