Fraud: Ex-governor Aliyu made multiple withdrawals – witness

The former governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu made multiple withdrawals amounting to N80million, a principal witness told the Federal High Court, sitting in Minna, Niger State.

The former governor is standing trial before Justice Yalim Suleiman Bogoro on charges of money laundering to the tune of N2billion.

Nma Abubakar Mohammed, a branch head of Zenith Bank situated at Paiko Road, Minna 1, Niger State, who testified as PW3, told the court that the defendant made withdrawals of N10million each in eighty places using the account of I.D Sabin Investment Limited.

Led in evidence by Ben Ikani, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mohammed, said he was invited by the commission sometime in June 2014 to clarify some transactions on the account of I.D Sabin Investment Limited, an account owned by Saidu Nma-Aba Idris.

Narrating the procedures required for opening an account in his branch, the witness said I.D Sabin Investment met all requirements, while opening the account.

When asked to tell the court about inflows into the account, Mohammed said, “Going through the statements of account, there were withdrawals of N10m each in eighty places and some other withdrawals.”

Aliyu is being prosecuted alongside his then Chief of Staff, Umar Nasko by the EFCC.

The defendants were accused of laundering ecological funds released by the Federal Government to Niger State sometime in 2014.