The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has handed over recovered funds totalling ₦837,485,389 to the Katsina State government following investigations into separate cases involving alleged diversion of public funds.
According to a statement shared by the commission on Monday, the handover took place at the EFCC Kano zonal directorate.
Presenting the recovered funds, Friday Ebelo, zonal director of the commission, said the money belonged to the people of Katsina State and should be used for projects that would benefit residents.
“This money belongs to the people of Katsina State, and I will urge that same be used for the betterment of the people of Katsina State,” Ebelo said.
He added that the recoveries resulted from extensive investigations and warned public officials against financial misconduct, stressing that the commission would continue to pursue corruption cases involving public resources.
The recovered funds were received on behalf of the state government by Abdullahi Yantumaki, executive director of standard and compliance at the Katsina State Internal Revenue Service.
Yantumaki commended the EFCC for its efforts and assured that the funds would be paid into the state’s consolidated revenue account.
According to the EFCC, the first case led to the recovery of ₦547,015,389 after the state government petitioned the commission over the alleged diversion of nearly ₦1.3 billion in statutory tax remittances.
Investigators said the funds originated from international organisations including World Health Organization, Médecins Sans Frontières, and ALIMA.
The commission alleged that six personnel of the state Board of Internal Revenue Service and three bank officials diverted the funds into a private bank account.
The EFCC said 12 suspects were charged to court in connection with the case. Six have reportedly been convicted after pleading guilty, while six others are still standing trial before the Katsina State High Court.
In the second case, the anti-graft agency recovered ₦290,470,000 linked to an alleged fraud uncovered through a 2021 intelligence report.
The EFCC accused former sub-treasurer Sani Lawal BK and former deputy sub-treasurer Saadu Maiwada, both attached to the office of the state accountant-general, of diverting public funds into private companies through unauthorised cash withdrawals from the state’s sub-treasury expenditure account.
According to investigators, no contracts were awarded and no services were rendered to justify the withdrawals.
The commission said the suspects were arraigned on July 11, 2023, before federal and state high courts on charges bordering on money laundering and misappropriation of funds, with trial proceedings already underway.
