The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has uncovered how 24 ex-lawmakers of Kwara House of Assembly; former Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu; and some companies allegedly swindled the state of about N5 billion.
Wilson Uwujaren, Head of Media and Publicity of the Commission, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
According to him, the money, which belongs to the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service, was allegedly taken between 2015 and 2019.
Uwujaren said the immediate past Chairman of KWIRS, Prof. Muritala Awodu; former member of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Moshood Bakare; and some staff of KWIRS are presently being interrogated by the Commission.
He said: “It was discovered during investigations that about five companies linked to highly placed politicians in Kwara State benefited about N4 billion from the money, without any valid contractual agreements with the State Government.
“Other beneficiaries of the money include all the former 24 members of the Kwara House of Assembly including the speaker, Dr Ali Ahmad, former Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, ex-Kwara State Accountant General, Ishola Sulyman, Permanent Secretaries among others.”
The Head of Media and Publicity of the anti-graft agency said a staff of KWIRS, while being interrogated by the operatives of the Commission, said the House of Assembly members were collecting N4 million monthly for public relations, which they shared among themselves.
According to him, Banu was collecting N5 million monthly without working for it.
He said: “In fact, Mr Banu collects it in cash, I do take it to his house, if we don’t give him, he won’t approve anything we take to him.”
Uwujaren said the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation and Finance said they usually send the money into the account of his Personal Assistant who will then withdraw the money and give it to him.
He said the Chairman will hand it over to the Speaker who will later it to all the members.
He said: “Some Honourable Members do collect the money in cash while some will insist that the money should be transferred into their accounts.”
Uwujaren said it was further discovered that a Personal Assistant to a former Governor of Kwara State, Rafiu Olasile, allegedly received the sum of N10 million from one of the aides to ex-Chairman of House Committee on Appropriation and Finance.
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