Group Petitions EFCC Over Alleged Diversion Of N499 Million Fertiliser Funds By Ex-Zamfara Gov

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Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development (PAPSD) have petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) demanding the investigation of the misappropriation and diversion of the N499 million meant for the purchase of fertilizers by the former Governor of Zamfara State Abdulazeez Yari.

The group in a petition, addressed to the Chairman of the Commission routed through the Sokoto Zonal Office of the EFCC demanded that the Commission should invite, investigate and possibly prosecute the former Governor Yari and the Managing Director Zamfara Agricultural Supply Company Limited for illegal withdrawals, misappropriation of funds belonging to the Zamfara State Government.

The group added that the fertiliser allocated to the beneficiaries was not released and the funds were not returned to them for the past two (2) years, stressing that after several complaints to the authority, it was revealed that the money is no more in the bank account, as deposited into Zamfara State Agricultural Supply Company Limited Fertilizer Sales Account.

The Executive Director of PAPSD, Dr Sani Abdulahi Shinkafi in the petition alleged that “the fertiliser Dealers Associations in Zamfara State deposited the sum of Three Hundred and Seventy Million Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (N370,800,000) only, which is equivalent to the value of 103 trucks and 278 bags of fertiliser into Zamfara State Agricultural Supply Company Limited Fertilizer Sales Account domiciled in Access Bank, Gusau Branch with Bank Account Number 0029140950.

“The money deposited is for the payment of allocation of 103 trucks and 278 bags of fertiliser for the 2019 wet farming season up to the end of the second tenure of the former Governor Hon. Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari.

“We hereby urge the commission to do a discreet investigation on illegal withdrawal and misappropriation of funds during the transitional period at the end tail of Hon. Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari administration.”

Shinkafi however added that: “In light of the highlighted above we urge the commission to investigate our petition and that any person found wanting should face the full wrath of law and justice.”