EFCC Arrests 5 Government Officials Over N1.3billion Fraud

The arrested suspects are Rabiu Abdullahi, Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Ibrahim M. Kofar Soro, Ibrahim Aliyu, and Nura Lawal Kofar Sauri.

The arrests followed a petition from the Katsina State Government, which accused the suspects of conspiring to divert the sum of N1,294,337,676.53, which had been allocated to the state from international organizations, including the World Health Organization, Medicins Sans Frontiers, and the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA).

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Initial investigations by the EFCC revealed that Rabiu Abdullahi, who is a former director of Collections at the Board and now its Permanent Secretary, authorized the opening of a bank account in the name of “BOIRS” at Sterling Bank.

He allegedly designated Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Director of the Revenue Account, and Ibrahim M. Kofar Soro as the sole signatories to the account.

This account subsequently became the main channel through which the funds were allegedly siphoned, with the primary beneficiary being NADIKKO General Suppliers, a company owned by Nura Lawal Kofar Sauri, an Assistant Director of Career Skills/Staff Welfare at the Board.

Further investigation revealed that Nura Lawal Kofar Sauri and his company, NADIKKO, acted as the principal conduits for laundering the misappropriated funds, which were traced to various bank accounts held by the suspects.

The suspects are currently in custody at the EFCC’s Kano Zonal Command, and will be charged in court once investigations are concluded.