EFCC arrests NiMet DG, four others for alleged contract fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the director general of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof Mansur Matazu and four directors for alleged contract fraud running into billions of naira.

Also arrested were the agency’s director of engineering, Mr. Bashir Saad, director of weather forecasting, Mr. Malaidi Yusuf and director of legal, Mr. Abdul Ahmed.

An insider who craved anonymity said the director general and the other directors had been in the custody of the anti-graft agency since Monday, May 9.

According to the source, EFCC arrested the four men after receiving a petition allegedly written by the sacked former director of finance and administration, Mr. Aliyu Sanni.

Apart from the contract scam, the four suspects were also accused of running afoul of the civil service rules, which bar civil servants from executing contracts in the public sector.

Sanni, the source said, was sacked by the immediate past director general of NiMet, Prof. Sani Mashi, for undisclosed reasons.

“The EFCC officials picked up the directors and the director general on Monday in their various offices in Abuja.

“The four were arrested following a petition written against them by our former director of finance and administration who was unceremoniously sent packing by the former director general, Prof. Mashi.

“The suspects are being held for contract scam running into billions of naira. The length of the contract is still sketchy now, but they are yet to be released by the anti-crime commission,” the source said.

As of the time of handing in this report, they were yet to be let off the hook.

Meanwhile, officials in the public affairs unit of the agency declined to comment on the matter.

One of the officials who pleaded not to be named simply told our Reporter “I’m not aware of the matter” and hung up.