The Sokoto Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested four officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Zamfara office for alleged breach of trust and criminal diversion of ad hoc staff allowance to the tune of N84,696,000.
The arrested persons are: Administrative Secretary, Hassan Sidi Aliyu; Head of Operations, Hussain Jafar; State Accountant; Abdullahi Yusuf Abubakar; and Abdulmumin Usman. The EFCC made this known via its website.
It said that one Abdullahi Nasiru had written a petition to the EFCC on behalf of all presiding officers that worked for INEC during the 2019 presidential and governorship elections in Zamfara State.
The petitioner alleged that the ad hoc staff were each denied payment of their N6,000 movement allowance for the two elections.
He further alleged that what INEC paid to them was different from what other states paid their ad hoc staff.
INEC allegedly paid its staff the sum of N9,000 in Zamfara, while INEC in other states such as Sokoto
paid N12,000.
“Investigation by the EFCC revealed that none of the 10,500 presiding officers who participated in the elections were paid their entitlements put at N84,696,000 (eighty four million, six hundred and ninety six thousand Naira).
“Efforts are being made by EFCC to recover the money criminally diverted by the three INEC heads of department and Electoral Officers of the 14 local governments in Zamfara State, namely, Abdullahi Sambawa, Zurmi LGA; Aliyu Jafaru Goronyo, Maradun LGA; Balarabe Ahmed S Gobir, Gummi LGA; Amadu Ibrahim, Gusau LGA; Mohammed Bashir Musa, Kaura Namoda LGA; Dalhatu Usman Musa,Birnin Magaji LGA; Abdulmumin Usman, Maru LGA.
“Others are, Muhammad Nasir Saidu,Talatu Mafara LGA; Abdullahi A. Ukashatu, Tsafe LGA; Tukur Garba Kaita, Bungudu LGA; Salihu Musa Abdullahi, Bukuyun LGA; Sadiq Abdullahi, Fari Anka LGA; Lawali Muhammed, Argungu Bakura LGA; Jafaru Gide, Shinkafi LGA; Tanimu Muhammad, Shinkafi LGA; Hassan Abdullahi,Shinkafi LGA.”
“The suspects would be arraigned in court as soon as investigation is completed,” EFCC said.