Five staff of Sokoto State Primary Education Staff Pension Board have been arraigned before the Sokoto High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly diverting N553 million.
The staff were arraigned on 28 count-charge bordering on forgery, criminal breach of trust and misappropriation, which were contrary to sections 92 (2), 311, of the Penal Code law CAP 89, Laws of Northern Nigeria and Sections 351, 353, 348 of the Sokoto Penal Code law 2019.
The staff include, Abubakar Aliyu, Hassana Moyi, Haliru Ahmad, Kabiru Ahmad and Dahiru Muhammad Isa who are Secretary, Director of Finance and Supply, deputy Director of Finance and Supply, Accountant and Cashier of the board respectively.
EFCC Zonal Head , Usman Bawa Kaltungo, said the money was for payment of gratuities and pension of retired teachers in the state.
Kaltungo said the antigraft agency acted on a petition brought to them by one of the affected pensioners.
He said the staff used forged vouchers, withdrew and shared the money, adding that the money was withdrawn in tranches.
Kaltungo added that January 17, 2017 and March, 2020, the Director of Finance withdrew the sum of N83.2 million from their account with Polaris Bank.
“During the same period, Haliru and Kabiru withdrew 203,217,770.71 and 266,567,053 respectively from the same account in the name of pensioners,” he said
“We had to pay for the transport fares of some of the pensioners before they could come and testify and they were shocked to find out that their long awaited pensions and gratuities had been diverted.”
“With all these money that they had withdrawn, we could not recover anything from them. This is why we are suspecting they were withdrawing for some top government functionaries which they refused to disclose to us.”
The case has been adjourned till June, 28 for the continuation of trial.
