The Kano State command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested five officials from the Katsina Internal Revenue Service in connection with an alleged fraud amounting to ₦1.3 billion.
The spokesperson for the anti-corruption agency, Dele Oyewale, confirmed their arrest in Abuja on Monday, specifying that the total amount allegedly misappropriated by the suspects is ₦1,294,337,676.53.
The individuals, identified as Rabiu Abdullahi, Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Ibrahim M. Kofar Soro, Ibrahim Aliyu, and Nura Lawal Kofar Sauri, were taken into custody last Saturday, January 11.
Reports showed that Rabiu Abdullahi, a former Director of Collections of the Board and current Permanent Secretary of the Board authorized the opening of a bank account in the name of ‘BOIRS’ at Sterling Bank where he allegedly designated Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Director of Revenue Account and Ibrahim M. Kofar Soro as sole signatories to the account.
According to Oyewale, the arrests were made following a petition from the Katsina state government, which accused the officials of colluding to misappropriate the funds. This amount was intended for the state government, having been sourced from the World Health Organization (WHO), Médecins Sans Frontières, and the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA
The suspects had been detained at the Kano Zonal Command of the commission, adding that they would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
