Bauchi state Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has ordered immediatearrest and prosecution of his predecessors, former governors Isa Yuguda and MA
Abubakar who allegedly looted properties and assets worth over a trillion nairabelong to the state government during their separate tenures.The governor gave the indication when he received acomprehensive report of the state’s asset recovery committee constituted on 12July, 2019 and mandated to investigate assets allegedly diverted between 2007to 2019 at the council Chamber, Government House Bauchi.
Governor Bala who insists that government officials mustremain accountable vowed to recover and ensure prosecution of the ex-governorsand their officials that were indicted by the committee.
He said the state’s attorney general and some members of thecommittee will partner and study the recommendations of the asset recoverycommittee for full prosecution of those indicted.
The Acting Chairman of the committee Retired General MarkusKoko Yake while submitting the report the governor said the committee hasunearthed various scandals and diversion of government properties from 19Ministries, Department and Agencies between 2007 and 2019 when Yuguda and MrAbubaka served as governors of the state.
“As regards contracts awarded within the period underreview, 19 MDAs submitted a of 12, 249 contract and services with a totalcontract sum of N97, 190,881.30 to the committee.
“78 contract numbers and services from 6 MDAs with a totalcontract sum of N63, 840, 92,807.15 representing over 65 percent of the totalsum by the 19 MDAs were verified and analyzed.
The committee chairman said properties and funds diverted weremostly from the Paris and London clubs funds, ecological funds, Universal BasicEducation commission funds for state Universal Basic Education CommissionBoard, internally generated funds, various loans taken by past administrationsamong others.
General Yake said the asset committee had discovered 16plots of land in Kaduna which amounts to N1.5 billion naira allegedly divertedby the past administrations, adding that “if urgent action was not taken torecover those lands, it will be occupied by trespassers”.
The committee also recommends the immediate confiscation ofa property “adjacent Wikki Hotel Bauchi which the former governor MA Abubakaresq, sold to himself without following due process, should be recovered”.
WikkiTimes recallsthat the committee while briefing newsmen before the submission of the reportto governor Bala Mohammed had asked the former governors and their associatesto refund over one trillion naira allegedly looted by officials of the twoadministrations from the coffers of the state during their tenures.
