EFCC Seizes ex-Adamawa Governor’s House Worth N500m

EFCC Seizes ex-Adamawa Governor’s House Worth N500m

Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have seized a house belonging to former acting governor of Adamawa state, Mr Umar Fintiri, said to be worth about N500 million.

The Punch reports that the operatives of the anti-graft agency confiscated the house located at No 7, Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja and placed an inscription “EFCC, Under Investigation” at its entrance.

Fintiri, a former speaker of the Adamawa state house of assembly, became acting governor of the state following the impeachment of former governor, Murtal Nyako and his deputy, Bala Ngilari, in 2014.

He was arrested by the EFCC 10 days ago following a petition by former members of his cabinet that he embezzled N1.9bn during the three months he acted as governor between July 15, 2014 and October 8, 2014.

A source at the EFCC stated that Fintiri allegedly diverted the fund that was meant for the construction of the Faculty of Law at the Adamawa State University.

He said, “Before his impeachment, Nyako left a balance of N1,957,045,82 in the state government’s project account with the Yola branch of Zenith Bank, with account number 1011325467. Out of the money, N497m was meant for the construction of a law faculty at the university, which was to be sited at the former Teachers’ College, Yola.

“However, when Fintiri took over as acting governor, he transferred the proposed faculty from Yola to the Mubi campus of the ADSU and later laid the foundation; but after that, the project never took off.”

Meanwhile, the federal government has described the recovery of looted funds and stolen assets, as a continuous process on which Nigerian citizens would be provided regular updates.

In response to criticisms and claims in some quarters that the list of recovered sums released by the ministry of information was inaccurate, presidential spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina told newsmen that the exercise was a continuous one.

“Recovery of loot and declaration of same is a continuing process. The President made it clear in his May 29 broadcast that the Minister of Information would give continuous updates,” Adesina said.