Probe Yari Over Diversion Of N499m Fertilizer Funds, Group Tells EFCC
The Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development (PAPSD) have petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) demanding the investigation of the misappropriation and diversion of the N499 million meant for the purchase of fertilizers by former Governor Abdulazeez Yari of Zamfara State.
The group in a petition to the chairman of the Commission, urged it to invite, investigate and possibly prosecute Yari and the Managing Director Zamfara Agricultural Supply Company Limited for illegal withdrawals and misappropriation of funds belonging to the Zamfara State Government.
The Executive Director of PAPSD, Dr. Sani Abdulahi Shinkafi in the petition alleged that “the Fertilizer Dealers Associations in Zamfara State deposited the sum of N370 million, equivalent to the value of 103 trucks and 278 bags of fertilizer into Zamfara State Agricultural Supply Company Limited Fertilizer Sales Account domiciled in Access Bank Gusau Branch with Bank Account Number 0029140950.
“The money deposited is for the payment of allocation of 103 trucks and 278 bags of fertilizer for the 2019 wet farming season up to the end of second tenure of the former Governor Hon. Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari the fertilizer allocated to the beneficiaries was not released and the funds were not returned to them for the past two years.
After several complain to the authority it has been revealed that the money is no more in the bank account, as deposited into Zamfara State Agricultural Supply Company Limited Fertilizer Sales Account.
Shinkafi said, “We hereby urge the commission to do a discreet investigation on illegal withdrawal and misappropriation of funds during the transitional period at the end of Hon. Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari’s administration.”
