EFCC Uncovers Alleged N5bn Kwara IGR Diversion by Ex- Lawmakers, Commissioner

The Ilorin Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) yesterday disclosed that, it had uncovered the sum of N5 billion allegedly diverted by the 24 ex-lawmakers of the Kwara State House of Assembly, the immediate past Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Ademola Banu and some companies through the State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) without following due process between 2015-2019 in the state.

Already, the anti-graft agency has commenced full interrogation on the immediate past chairman of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service, Professor Muritala Awodu, a former member of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Moshood Bakare and some staff of the State Internal Revenue Service over their alleged involvement in the act.

But, a member of the Finance Committee of the eight state House of Assembly who spoke with journalists in Ilorin yesterday on condition of anonymity on the issue, denied the allegations raised against the immediate past lawmakers in the state.

He said that, “there is no money from KWIRS or executive council to the House of Assembly without following law and the written approval of the executive governor of the state during the period.”

The former lawmaker however said that, there was no any N4 million that was coming to the House every month from internal revenue service adding that, “it is vendetta being used by the present government through EFCC to tarnish the image of the ex-lawmakers and former government of PDP in the state.”

However, the EFCC in a statement issued in Ilorin, Kwara State capital yesterday, signed by the Head of Media and Publicity of the anti-graft agency, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren said that “During investigations, the agency discovered 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.