Saidu Abdullahi, Account General
of Niger State, has told Justice Yalim Suleiman Bogoro of the Federal High
Court sitting in Minna, Niger State how a former governor of the State,
Babangida Aliyu, ordered the disbursement of over N1.6billion from the State’s
statutory account for no reason.
While being led in evidence by
Ben Ikani, counsel to the EFCC, as PW10, Abdullahi, told the court all he knew
about the ecological funds, stating that the disbursements were made in three
tranches.
His words: “On February 8, 2014,
the State received N2billion through the State’s statutory account, domiciled
in Zenith Bank, from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation,
from Central Bank of Nigeria.
“Thereafter, three disbursements
were made to the Ministry of Environment in May, July and November, 2014
respectively”. According to him, “the first disbursement made in May was in the
sum of N1 billion while the second and third disbursenents were in the sums of
N366 million and N240 million respectively, totaling N1.606 billion, leaving a
balance of N393 million in the account”.
Under cross-examination by
Olajide Ayodele, SAN, counsel to Aliyu, Abdullahi insisted that the
disbursement order was made by ex-governor Aliyu with certificate of no
objection gotten from Bureau of Public Procurement.
Also testifying, Rabiu Musa, a
Buraeu De Change Operator, who earlier testified as the PW9, told the court how
he changed over N170 million for one Ibrahim Nasko, a younger brother to the
second defendant, Umar Nasko. Musa informed the court that the said money was
delivered to Nasko at two of his offices; one located at Wuse, and the other at
his residence in Abuja
“Ibrahim Nasko is my customer. He
calls me from time to time. Sometimes, he offers me dollars to buy and
sometimes, he buys from me.
“The business we had last, he
paid money into my office account. During that time, he paid over N150 million.
The second money he paid was about N20 million; and I sent the equivalent in
Dollar to him,” Musa stated.
The case has been adjourned to
October 22 – 23, 2018 for continuation of trial. Aliyu, fondly referred to as
“Chief Servant” during his time as governor is being prosecuted alongside his
then Chief of Staff, Umar Nasko by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC.
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