Former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, has been declared, wanted by the anti- graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC]. Also wanted by the EFCC is the son of the ex-governor, Abdul Aziz Murtala Nyako, a retired Naval officer. Both are wanted in a case of criminal conspiracy, stealing, abuse of office and money laundering.
The EFCC had in June 2014, shortly before the former governor was impeached, frozen the bank accounts belonging to the state government in what it then called a precautionary measure to safeguard the state treasury amidst evidence of looting uncovered by its operatives.
The commission had alleged massive looting of the treasury by top officials of Adamawa State government under Mr. Nyako, a development that, at the time, led to the arrest and questioning of key officials, including then Secretary to the State Government, the then State Commissioner for Finance, the then Commissioner for Higher Education, the then Accountant General of the State and the then Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Local Government.
The EFCC said at the time that its investigation was triggered by petitions alleging massive looting of the treasury by the governor and his cronies through an illegal department called Special Programme and Project Units, SPPU, which engaged in over invoicing and inflation of contract.
“In the course of investigation, a critical analysis of the Joint State/Local Government account reveals massive cash withdrawals,” a source at the commission revealed.
The EFF official accused the then Permanent Secretary of Local Governments of making cash withdrawals of over N2 billion in 181 different transactions, scattered in tranches of N3 million, N4 million, N8 million and N9 million per transaction from the State/Local Government account domiciled with First Bank between 29th of August 2011 and 2012.
He also allegedly made similar cash withdrawals amounting to over N500 million between March 6, 2008, and March 4, 2011, from another Joint account domiciled in Keystone Bank, the source added.
“Other officials of the ministry who allegedly looted the Joint Account include Justina Jari, a Principal Accountant with the ministry who made cash withdrawals to the tune of N600 million from the Joint Account between October, 2009 and February, 2011.
“Another staff of the ministry, Abdulhakeem Mohammed was also alleged to have withdrawn about N3 billion from the account between February 2007 and May 2011. Two other staff, Mercy Wanje and Jumai Salihu were also said to have made withdrawals of N1 billion and N160 million from the account respectively,” the source said.
“On a single day, another staff called Haruna Hamali, a principal store officer made a cash withdrawal of over N70 million from the same account,” he said.
“The withdrawals were made and the money returned to top officials of the state government as narrated and confirmed by the officials who made the withdrawals.
“The state officials were arrested in connection with the withdrawals and other ongoing investigations,” the EFCC official said at the time.
Mr. Nyako was later impeached by the State House of Assembly. His whereabouts have remained unknown ever since.
