EFCC hands over N147m recovered loot to Kwara govt

The Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday handed over the sum of N147.7 million recovered from suspected treasury looters to the Kwara State government.

The Commission revealed that the sum of N138 million was recovered from the contractors who handled projects from Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) while N9 million was recovered from the officials of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

The anti-graft agency had recently quizzed the officials of SUBEB including its suspended Permanent Secretary, Bayo Onimago, for allegedly inserting some ghost workers into the payroll.

Speaking at the official handing over of the money, the Ilorin Zonal Head of the EFCC, Kazeem Oseni, urged the state government to use the money for the betterment of the people.

“The Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Umar Abba Muhammed has approved that the sum of one hundred and forty-seven million naira recovered from suspected treasury looters be returned to the Kwara State Government, in our humble efforts to sanitize the system, we try to investigate all crimes committed in the society and bring the culprit to book.

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“We will make sure that stolen assets are returned to lawful owners. We are calling on the Kwara State Government to utilise this money judiciously so that the State and the EFCC would not be blamed for mismanagement.

“We are using this opportunity to tell you that the Commission will recover more money for both the State Government and individuals who are cheated in one way or the other,” Oseni said.

Receiving the cheques on behalf of the state government, the Kwara State Commissioner for Finance, Olasumbo Florence Oyeyemi, who appreciated the EFCC for the recovery, promised to use the money for the development of the state.

“I will like to appreciate the EFCC for your efforts so far, the State Government had earlier received one hundred and eleven million naira and two hundred and sixty-three million naira at two different occasions, I want to assure the Zonal Head and other management staff of the EFCC that we will do our best to utilise the money very well,” Oyeyemi said.

Dignitaries present at the brief ceremony include the Kwara State Account General, Ismail Waheed; Deputy Zonal Head of the EFCC, Atinuke Akinroyeje; Head of Public Affairs Department, Gbenga Adewoye, among others.