Reps drill Accountant-General on missing €5m

The Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, yesterday failed to give a detailed account of the €5 million said to be missing from the nation’s treasury when he appeared before the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Assessment and Status of All recovered Loots, Movable and Immovable Assets.

The amount is part of monies recovered from looters of public treasury and sale of government assets between 2015 and 2020.

Idris had appeared before the committee and failed to give detail of the status of recovered assets as the committee members drilled him.

Following the accountant’s failure to inundate the lawmakers with the relevant information, a member of the committee, Edun Olarenwaju, moved a motion that Idris should appear before the entire house for concealing information.

Chairman of the committee, Adejoro Adeogun, however, stepped down the motion, mandating the accountant-general to re-appear before the committee on Thursday when he would have updated himself with the relevant information for further hearing.

To support Idris with relevant information as sought by the committee, an official, Mohammed Bello, who accompanied the respondent, revealed how the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) employee in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) kept separate account of recovered loot with the office of the Accountant-General.

Findings by the committee further showed that monies were lent to government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) from the recovered assets account without refund as supposed.

The committee resolved to give the respondent till Thursday to re-appear for further hearing as it expects the EFCC and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) same day.