‘Bauchi ex-governor sold seven exotic vehicles to self, aides stole 30’

Yuguda, Abubakar indicted as govt invites EFCC, ICPC to probe N321b allocations
The 21-man panel of inquiry set up by Bauchi State Governor Bala Muhammed to investigate the two previous administrations of former governors Isa Yuguda and Mohammad Abubakar has indicted the former governors for “gross mismanagement and fraud.”

The committee disclosed this at a media briefing after its three-month findings, alleging that Abubakar sold seven exotic vehicles to himself, while his aides carted away about 30 official cars.It said yesterday that it also investigated Yuguda’s administration between May 2007 and May 2015, adding that it Abubakar’s administration from May 2015 to 2019 has a lot of discrepancies.

Its Head of Public Relations, Alhaji Umar Barau Ningi, said the vehicles Abubakar sold to himself are, “Land Cruiser Armoured Jeep auctioned for N7.8m, a vehicle worth over N100m, Land Cruiser V8 sold for N2.8m, two Toyota Hilux for N2.1m and three Range Rovers purchased at N2.9m, N2.1m and N2.1 respectively.

“Also, 30 exotic vehicles allocated to his political appointees and public officers who have left office have not been returned. The committee has already recovered 15 of such vehicles, while we are on the trail of the remaining 15 with a view to recovering and returning them to the state government.”

Barau said the committee has taken steps to recover the vehicles Abubakar sold to himself. The panel also alleged that Abubakar sold a house to himself with Certificate of Occupancy number BA/40245 adjacent Wikki Hotel, belonging to the state government at a highly subsidised rate.

Umar said between October 2016 and May 2018, about N1.4b was stolen, while unremitted taxes amounting to over N705m was stolen from the state’s treasury between 2017 and 2018.

Under Yuguda’s administration between 2007 and 2015 the panel said N135b worth of commercial loans were obtained, while N100.9b loans were taken without the Bauchi State House of Assembly’s approval as required by law.

“The balance of N34b represents loans that followed due process of law,” the committee added. Relatedly, the Bauchi State Government has invited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate N321b statutory allocations the immediate past government received between May 2015 and May 2019.

Spokesperson to the state government, Ladan Salihu stated this in Abuja yesterday at a media briefing on the state government’s Assets and Funds Recovery Committee report.

Ladan said the committee discovered that N58.6b loans were taken between May 2015 and May 2019, adding that the submission from the Office of the Accountant General of Bauchi State showed a bailout facility amounting to N15.2b was released to the state Government.He revealed that the state received another N47.3 in 2016, 2017 and 2018 last administration according to submission by the Office Accountant General of Bauchi State, among other infractions.