An anti-corruption group, The Bauchi state Coalition against Financial Crimes and Injustice (BACAFCI), has asked the Independent Corrupt Practices ICPC and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC to investigate the payment of N5 billion bailout funds to a consultant firm for the work carried out by the Governor’s forum.
The Chairman of BACAFCI, Alhaji Bibi Dogo, Stated this in a statement made available to reporters in Bauchi Wednesday, in continuation of anti-graft agency efforts to ensure that justice is being done to the people of the State.
He said from January 2017 to September 2018, Bauchi State received the sum of N55 billion as Paris Club refunds, adding that the move to recover the funds were initiated by the Governor’s forum.
Dogo who served in the recovery committee set up by the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, alleged that former Governor Abubakar, engaged a consultant and paid him 5 billion representing 15 percent for doing nothing other than the work done by the Governor’s Forum which clearly shows that Bauchi State paid twice for one service.
“The transactions were carried out without any formal agreement which spells out the scope of work to be done or the fees to be paid to the consultant. Also, the directives to release the funds was done without any formal documentation to the then State Accountant General.
“We want the anti-graft agencies to investigate the alleged misappropriation of the bailout public funds by former Governor Abubakar when he was governor and recover the faulty payment of over N5 billion made to the consultant. The anti-graft agencies should also sanction any person or group of persons involved to serve as a deterrent to others,” the statement read.
A recovery committee set up by the Bauchi State Government had earlier indicted the ex-governor of misappropriation of funds.
A close political associate to the former Governor stated that this was not the first time BACAFCI would claim in the media that they have petitioned against former Governor Abubakar, adding that the allegation against the former governor was baseless and false.
