A report by The Nation indicates that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has traced some of the looted N2billion for Small and Medium Enterprise Development (SMED) in Kwara state to the account of a former First Lady in the state.
According to the report, the First Lady, who has so far refunded N3million, has refused to report to the anti-graft agency for interrogation.
She reportedly told EFCC that she was indisposed but didn't give details on the nature of her illness. She also has not presented any medical report. The commission might stop her from traveling abroad under any guise.
Also, a royal father, who was said to have been given N78million out of the N2billion, might be arrested for refusing to refund the slush funds.
The ex-First Lady had illegally collected cash from the N2billion which she diverted to her foundation.
A source quoted in the report, said: “Our detectives are on the trace of the ex-First Lady. We accorded her much respect but she has been avoiding interrogation.
“Without honouring our invitation, she later sent the director of her foundation to refund N3million to EFCC. But we need her to come for interaction on the looted funds traced to her. She is claiming to be sick but no evidence of any medical report.
“If she does not appear before EFCC detectives, we are going to watch-list her and prevent her from traveling abroad.”
Responding to a question, the source added: “Some of the suspects already quizzed have implicated the ex-First Lady. There is also evidence of allocation of funds from the N billion for SMED to her account.
“Selected and influential market men and women across the 16 local government areas of the state received N5 million each as loans, but did not payback.
“One of the market women used a share of her illicit allocation to organise the disruption of Tradermoni outing by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
“About 50 percent of the controversial loans were shared by highly placed individuals and selected businessmen and women at the expense of other beneficiaries.”
The EFCC has so far arrested the director-general, Kwara state bureau of SMED, Segun Soewu, over alleged N2billion fraud.
The EFCC began the probe of the N2 billion following intelligence reports alleging fraudulent misappropriation and mismanagement of the cash to assist market men and women across the 16 local government areas of the state.
Meanwhile, the re-nomination of Abubakar Malami, SAN as a minister in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term, has irked a coalition of civil society organisations.
Malami, 52, is the immediate past attorney general of the federation and minister of justice.
The coalition at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, July 29, described Malami as a major blight to Nigeria's anti-corruption fight, waning that his return as a federal minister, “casts serious doubts on President Muhammadu Buhari's anti-corruption posturing.”
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