I never evaded any invitation – Ex-gov
By Abdulaziz Abdulaziz
Abuja,
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has placed the immediate past governor of Katsina state, Barrister Ibrahim Shema on its watch list over investigations into alleged abuse of office and embezzlement of state fund during his eight-year tenure.
Shema, according to a highly placed source at the commission, is wanted for his alleged roles in diverting N57 billion within seven years of his stewardship, withdrawal of N30 billion from local governments’ account and disappearance of N18.6 billion from state’s coffers in 2012.
But the former governor is insisting that he never evaded the invitation by the anti-graft agency, saying the body had not agreed on a new date for the meeting since it could not meet up with the earlier one.
However, the commission said it decided to declare the former governor wanted following his failure to honour repeated invitations sent to him, to explain his parts in the alleged sleaze.
“We have unravelled a number of instances of abuse of office and diverting of funds. Our men found out that in 2012 alone, up to N18.6 billion was diverted by the former governor. We discovered that the man was conniving with his sons in some of his deals,” the EFCC source said.
“Another curious deal, from our investigation, is deductions of local government funds to the tune of N30 billion. The money was curiously received by some government officials. These are the things we want to have the former governor to come and explain but he has been dilly-dallying.
“We are left with no option than to place him on watch list. We have already alerted all the necessary outfits including the Police, Immigration and the SSS,” the source added.
Blueprint learnt that operatives of the commission conducted an early morning raid on Shema’s Abuja residence yesterday but were not able to apprehend him, as he was said to be out of the city.
A wanted notice issued last night by the EFCC, said the former governor ignored summons to appear before investigators since December 1, 2015.
The notice signed by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, reads; “The public is hereby notified that Ibrahim Shema, a former governor of Katsina state is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in connection with a case of criminal conspiracy, inflation of contract, abuse of office, diversion of funds and embezzlement running into billions of naira.
“The former governor ignored several invitations by the Commission since December 1, 2015 when he was first summoned by the agency. All efforts to locate him at his known address in Katsina and Abuja were futile. The 56-year-old ex-governor hails from Dutsen-ma Local Government Area of Katsina state. He is tall, light in complexion and speaks Hausa and English languages fluently”.
Blueprint recalls that incumbent government of Katsina state had in March this year, instituted a judicial panel of inquiry, under Justice Surajo Mohammed, to investigate last three years of Shema’s administration over alleged N70 billion embezzlement.
The former governor filed a suit before a Katsina state High Court to stop the investigations but failed as the court refused such orders. He later issued a statement claiming character assassination while denying the allegations of the state government.
Faulting the EFCC’s claim in a statement last night, Shema’s media advisor, Mr. Oluwabusola Olawale, said there was no time the former governor evaded any invitation by the EFCC.
He said: “Former Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema is a law abiding citizen and he respects all the institutions set up by law. From all indications, it appears like the same issue which Governor Aminu Bello Masari petitioned EFCC, he has equally set up Commission of Inquiry to investigate which sitting is going on in Katsina, for which there is pending court case on the matter.
“Shema is a respecter of law and institutions in Nigeria and therefore he is available to attend any invitation by EFCC issued accordance to the law of the country.
The allegations made by Governor Aminu Bello Masari are false, malicious and targeted to tarnish the image of Ibrahim Shehu Shema who served creditably well on the platform of PDP as Governor of Katsina state for eight years.
“Former Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema was invited by EFCC last year December when he was outside the country to which his lawyer responded accordingly. And when he returned to Nigeria, the EFCC sent another invitation and Shema agreed to honour the invitation with his lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), but the meeting with EFCC could not hold because the EFCC officials were engaged elsewhere. And subsequently, Shema’s lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun wrote EFCC in July this year requesting for a date to be given and up till date, no date has been fixed by EFCC for the meeting.”
