The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Sokoto Zonal Office today March 1, 2021 arraigned Senator Umaru Tafida Argungu before Justice Mohammed Mohammed of the Sokoto State High Court on one count charge of criminal misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N419, 744, 612. 30 (Four Hundred and Nineteen Million, Seven Hundred and Forty Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Twelve Naira, Thirty Kobo).<\/p>\n
The former Senator who represented Kebbi North in the 6th<\/sup>\u00a0Senate, is alleged to have diverted the said sum which was paid by the Sokoto State government as 40percent equity stake in\u00a0Hijrah Investment Nigeria Limited, owners of\u00a0Hijrah Textile Ltd.<\/p>\n The Sokoto state government\u00a0had\u00a0entered into an agreement with the former\u00a0Senator to buy\u00a0a 40% stake in his company Hijrah Investment Nigeria Limited in order to create jobs\u00a0and boost the economy of the state.<\/p>\n However, investigations revealed several withdrawals and transfers from the said account to individuals not remotely connected to the objectives of turning around the company.<\/p>\n A visit to the company promises by investigators, showed a company in severe state of abandonment and dilapidation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The charge reads: “That you Senator Umar Tafida while being the Chairman of Hijrah Textiles Company Limited and Hijrah Investment Nigeria Limited sometime between 2016 and 2017 at Sokoto within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Justice Sokoto State, being entrusted with the total sum of\u00a0N419, 744, 612. 30 (Four Hundred and Nineteen Million, Seven Hundred and Forty Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Twelve Naira, Thirty Kobo) paid by the Sokoto State government, representing 40% investment of shareholding in your company to boost the economy of the state, dishonestly misappropriated the money in violation of the mode in which such trust was to be discharged and thereby committed Criminal Breach of Trust contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code Law CAP 89, Laws of Northern Nigeria and punishable under Section 312 of the same Law”.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He pleaded \u2018not guilty\u2019 to the charge.<\/p>\n Based on his plea, the prosecution counsel, S.H. Sa\u2019ad asked the Court for a date to commence trial while defence counsel, Ibrahim Abdullahi move a verbal motion for the bail of his client.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Justice Mohammed granted the defendant bail in the sum of N50 million (Fifty Million Naira) and two sureties in like sum. The sureties must reside and have property within the jurisdiction of the Court. The judge further ruled that the defendant’s international passport be deposited with the Court.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The case has been adjourned till March 18, 2021 for commencement of trial.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Sokoto Zonal Office today March 1, 2021 arraigned Senator Umaru Tafida Argungu before Justice Mohammed Mohammed of the Sokoto State High Court on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":78860,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-78859","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-other-news"],"yoast_head":"\n