Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
The Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the weekend lauded the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on its recent recovery and handing-over of N111million allegedly recovered from treasury looters in the state to the state Governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq.
The Zonal Head of the EFCC, Mr. Isyaku Shari, at a news conference in Ilorin last Friday said the Commission which started its work in February this year at the zonal office has achieved a lot in terms of recovery and conviction of corrupt individuals.
He added that the Commission also saved the state from financial recklessness in May this year at the eve of handing and taking over of government.
“We have 29 convictions and over N500million recovery of both in assets and cash, part of this is the N111, 428, 891.00 cash recovered for the Kwara State Government.
“This recovery is from suspected Kwara State treasury looters. The suspects alleged to have criminally misappropriated landed properties of Harmony holdings while others diverted funds meant for micro small and medium credit scheme. The suspects area cut across political office holders, traditional rulers and top civil servants,” he said.
However, the APC in the state, in a statement issued in Ilorin to commend the anti-graft agency on the breakthrough, which was signed by its state Chairman, Hon. Bashir Bolarinwa, observed that “the monies recovered so far is a far cry from the alleged wanton financial abuse of some officials of the immediate-past administration.”
Bolarinwa, therefore, advised the EFCC to redouble its efforts in holding more officials accountable and recovering all ill0-gotten funds in their custody.
In the same vein, he lauded the state Governor, Abdukrazaq’s resolve to channel the recovered funds to his administrations social investment programme, adding that such move would return the wealth of Kwara State back to Kwarans.
