Fraud: Masari accuses predecessor of misappropriating N73bn

Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Aminu Bello  Masari Friday,  accused his predecessor in office, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema and some officials of  the previous administration  of  massive fraud, saying about N73 billion  of the state funds  were misappropriated while they were in office.

Masari, who addressed journalists in Abuja on the activities of his administration, disclosed that his government has already  instituted a panel of inquiry to look into allegations of missing  funds during Shema’s tenure but might take legal action against him if the panel was able to establish a case of corruption against the accused persons.

He said that preliminary investigations have shown that huge sums of monies were paid out to officials of the last government  and their cronies without the recipients executing any contracts for the state.  

Masari alleged that a special arrangement was created by the last government to divert about 30 per cent of  funds earmarked for capital  expenditure  by  the local government in the state to accounts kept by the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) in Katsina  State.  He further alleged that about N16 billion was paid into the  secret accounts but the monies were later diverted to other accounts suspected to belong to  some government officials instead being deployed to the  projects.

He said  that the aim of setting up the panel of inquiry was to give Shema and other past government officials an opportunity for  fair  hearing  to avoid being accused of  witch-hunting  his predecessor.