• Friday, March 29, 2024
businessday logo

BusinessDay

Nigeria’s Accountant General suspended over N80bn fraud

Nigeria’s Accountant General suspended over N80bn fraud

Ahmed Idris, Nigeria’s Accountant General of the Federation, who was on Monday arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N80bn fraud has been suspended indefinitely by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed.

Sources at the finance ministry who confirmed the development said Idris would remain suspended pending the outcome of the investigations.

The 60-year-old Idris who was due for retirement last year was on Monday arrested by the EFCC Operatives over an alleged N80bn fraud.

The EFCC said his arrest “was in connection with diversion of funds and money laundering activities to the tune of N80 billion”.

Read also: EFCC arrests Nigeria’s AGF, Ahmed Idris, over N80billion fraud

“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,” Wilson Uwujaren, head, media & publicity, EFCC said in a statement.

The EFCC further noted that the funds were laundered through real estate investments in Kano and Abuja.

“Mr. Idris was arrested after failing to honour invitations by the EFCC to respond to issues connected to the fraudulent acts,” Uwujaren added in the statement.