The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has traced at least 17 properties to the Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris.
This is just as the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, suspended Idris who is currently being investigated for fraud to the tune of N80bn.
An official of the EFCC, who wished to remain anonymous, said the properties traced to Idris are located in Kano, Lagos, Abuja, Dubai and London.
UPDATED: EFCC arrests Ex-NDDC MD Nsima Ekere over alleged N47bn fraud
EFCC arrests Ahmed Idris, Accountant General of the Federation for N80billion fraud
He, however, said preliminary investigations showed that the nation’s chief accountant allegedly used proxies to buy some of these properties. The commission would therefore need to invite some of the proxies of the accountant-general.
The detective added that from all indications, these properties were purchased while Idris was in office and did not declare them before the Code of Conduct Bureau as stipulated by law.
He added, “About 17 houses in London, Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Dubai have been traced to him. In Abuja, some of the houses are located in serviced estates.”
The EFCC had in a statement on Monday announced the arrest of the accountant-general for fraud to the tune of N80bn.
The statement read in part, “The commission’s verified intelligence showed that the AGF raked off the funds through bogus consultancies and other illegal activities using proxies, family members and close associates. The funds were laundered through real estate investments in Kano and Abuja.”
It was learnt that Idris came under scrutiny last year following allegations that he offered huge sums of money to a family in order to secure the marriage of their 16-year-old daughter.
The uncle of the teenager, Nura Bagudu, had told The PUNCH in an interview that the accountant-general offered properties and gifts to the young lady and her family and had lodged complaints to the Federal Government.
“He told the young lady to go to Abuja and choose any house she wanted and he would buy it for her,” Bagudu had told The PUNCH.
(Punch)
