A prosecution witness, Mohammed Bala, at a Minna State High Court, Thursday 14, 2019 gave details of how N2 billion alleged fraud was perpetrated and diverted under the administration of former Governor Babangida Aliyu in Niger State.

Babangida Aliyu is not the only suspect under prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Others were his ex-Chief of Staff, Umar Nasko, and the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Niger State Chapter, Barrister Tanko Beji.

They are jointly facing trial on a seven-count amended charge bordering on criminal breach of trust.

The anti-graft agency spokesman, Tony Orilade in a statement said,

“The trial of the former governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, for an alleged N2 billion fraud continued before Justice Mikailu Abdullahi of the State High Court, sitting in Minna, continued with a prosecution witness giving more details as to how funds were diverted from the state’s account.

“While being led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, J.S. Okutepa, SAN, the witness, Mohammed Bala, whose testimony began on February 21, 2019, further narrated how investigations revealed suspicious transfers from the state’s Federation Allocation Account to private accounts”.

It was further gathered that Bala, an operative with the EFCC, told the court that in the course of investigations, the third defendant was invited for interrogation.

He said:

“We confronted him with the allegations, more especially the Ecological Fund issue, and he admitted that ‘yes’ there was the issue of Eco Fund which was received from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation in April, 2014.

“At that time, he was Commissioner of Environment, and he admitted to receiving N800 million and that he benefited the sum of N50 million out of the N800 million.

more details soon: