by Nurat Uthman
The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued warrants for the arrest of two men – Abdulsalamu Hudu and Umar Shuaibu Oricha over the alleged withdrawal of N46, 039,579,919.38 in cash from the bank accounts belonging to the Kogi State government.
The court also ordered the accused men to appear before it and respond to criminal allegations regarding the withdrawal, among other charges.
Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order on Tuesday in a motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/909/2024.
This case is among the EFCC’s recent litigations targeting various past Kogi State government officials and their associates.
In the EFCC’s motion, its investigating officer, Audu Abubakar, told the court that he was one of the officers assigned to investigate the “damning intelligence report received by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission regarding monumental fraud allegedly perpetrated by former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello and some principal officers of the Kogi State Government and their cronies through which huge sums of money belonging to the Kogi State Government were fraudulently converted and used to either acquire properties outrightly or renovate already existing but dilapidated buildings within and outside the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court.”
Abubakar added that the Kogi State Government had an account with Zenith Bank Plc, and that between February 2016 and September 2021, Hudu was allegedly directed to make cash withdrawals totaling N46,039,579,919.38.
The officer also alleged that one C. Olufunke was similarly procured to make a cash withdrawal of N2,402,533,621 from the same account between March 23rd, 2016, and April 30, 2018.
He continued that in a desperate bid to integrate the funds into the economy as legitimate, Murtala Maigari and his associates were allegedly procured to keep in their custody large sums of cash, out of the funds allegedly withdrawn by Abdussalamu Hudu and his cronies from the Kogi State Government treasury
Abubakar further told the court, that apart from Hudu, Dauda Sulaiman was also allegedly procured “as a principal member of the syndicate specialised in conveying Kogi State Government funds to the care and custody of Murtala Maigari and associates.”
The investigator informed the court that some of the individuals mentioned in the motion are currently facing trial for alleged money laundering offenses.
The EFCC then urged the court to approve their arrest so they could appear and defend the allegations.
Ruling on the motion, Justice Nwite granted the EFCC’s request for an arrest warrant.
He said, “The Plaintiff/Applicant’s application dated and filed on 3/7/2024 is granted as prayed. An order of this Honourable Court is hereby made, issuing a warrant for the arrest of Abdussalamu Hudu and Umar Shuaibu Oricha to bring them before this Honourable Court to answer to criminal complaints/allegations against them and to be dealt with according to the law.”
