Some ministers in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari and chieftains of political parties have been implicated in the N80 billion alleged fraud perpetrated by the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), TrackNews Nigeria has learnt.
The AGF, Mr. Ahmed Idris, who has since been suspended from office following the discovery of the alleged N80 billion fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, was arrested on the 16th of May.
However, he was granted administrative bail by the EFCC on 2nd June. Since then, nothing has been heard on the case.
But a top source in the anti-graft agency informed this website on Wednesday that the commission was still investigating the case due to the number of high-level government officials that have allegedly been implicated in the fraud.
He said, “Some minister, senators, party big wigs, serving and former governors are involved. It is a clique. I can’t mention names now but as they are invited the names shall be mentioned for all to know. However, ex-governor of Zamfara State Abdulaziz Yari is one of the accomplices
“There are more than the mentioned people involved, so everybody involved has to be investigated in order to establish their level of involvement. Also, we don’t want to go to court without having enough evidence to win the case.
“So, we are preparing to go to court soon. There might however be a political solution as per the intervention of powerful forces. This can be agreed upon based on the caveat that all parties involved must return every Kobo they took.
TrackNews Nigeria recall that EFCC operatives had intercepted the suspended AGF in Kano and flew him to Abuja. The EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, had said in a statement following his arrest that “Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, May 16, 2022 arrested serving Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Ahmed Idris in connection with diversion of funds and money laundering activities to the tune of 80 Billion (Eighty Billion Naira only).”
The legal department of the commission had secured a court order to detain him within 24 hours after he was arrested in Kano.
The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, subsequently issued a letter conveying Idris’ suspension from office on May 18.
The letter warned Idris not to come anywhere near the office during his period of suspension.
The suspended AGF is also alleged to own properties in Kano, Abuja, and Lagos, some of which may be forfeited to the federal government.
