As the Economic abd Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Intensifies its Probe into the alleged diversion of public funds to tune of N80 billion by the suspended Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris, more details have continued to emerge.
The EFCC has uncovered at least 17 properties allegedly linked to Idris, reports say.
On Monday, the EFCC, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, disclosed that the embattled Accountant General was arrested by its operatives in Kano state over alleged links to the diversion of public funds and money laundering activities.
Uwujaren disclosed that the said funds were allegedly laundered through real estate investments in Kano and Abuja.
According to him, Idris was arrested after the EFCC got intelligence report about how the AGF allegedly raked the N80bn through illegal activities.
An official of the EFCC who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the anti-graft agency has been investigating some properties traced to Idris that are located in Kano, Lagos, Abuja, Dubai and London.
The source said preliminary investigations have showed that the Idris allegedly used proxies to buy some of those properties. The source also added that majority of the properties under investigation were purchased by Idris while he was in office, but failed to declare them before the Code of Conduct Bureau as stipulated by laws of the land.
The source further revealed that the commission has kickstarted process to invite some of the proxies of the embattled accountant-general for questioning.
Recall that the Federal Government on Wednesday had announced the suspension of the accountant-general.
In a letter conveying Idris’ suspension, the Minister of Finance warned the embattled public official not to visit the office at any time, adding that the suspension was in line with the public service rules.
The letter titled, ‘Letter of Suspension’ read in part, “Following your recent arrest by EFCC on allegations of diversion of funds and money laundering, I write to convey your suspension from work without pay effective May 18, 2022.”
