Gov. Bala to prosecute those who illegally acquired government property

From Ali Galadima, Bauchi

Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir has decided
that his administration is going to prosecute any person who acquired
government property illegally. This is to serve as deterrent to others.

Governor Bala made the disclosure while receiving a report
from Asset and Funds Recovery Committee led by  General Makus Koko Yake at the Bauchi State
Government House.

Bala Mohammed further ordered his legal department to swing
into action by initiating process for prosecution of the former Governors in
the State – Malam Isa Yuguda and Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar – who allegedly
looted properties and assets worth over a trillion naira belonging to the state
government during their separate tenures.

He said, the Asset Recovery Committee was constituted on 12
July, 2019 and mandated to investigate assets allegedly diverted between 2007
and 2019.

He insisted government officials must remain accountabl. He
vowed to recover and ensure prosecution of the ex-governors and their officials
that were indicted by the committee.

According to him, state’s attorney general and some members
of the committee will partner and study the recommendations of the asset
recovery committee for full prosecution of those indicted.

Presenting the report to the Governor, Acting Chairman of
the committee Retired General Markus Koko Yake said the committee was able to unearth
various scandals and diversion of government properties from 19 Ministries,
Department and Agencies between 2007 and 2019 when Yuguda and Mr Abubaka served
as governors of the state.

He said, “As regards contracts awarded within the period
under review, 19 MDAs submitted 12, 249 contract and services with a total
contract sum of N97, 190,881.30 to the committee.

While, “78 contract numbers and services from 6 MDAs with a
total contract sum of N63, 840, 92,807.15 representing over 65 percent of the
total sum by the 19 MDAs were verified and analyzed.

The committee Chairman said properties and funds diverted
were mostly from the Paris and London clubs funds, ecological funds, Universal
Basic Education commission funds for state Universal Basic Education Commission
Board, internally generated funds, various loans taken by past administrations
among others.

General Yake said the asset committee had discovered 16
plots of land in Kaduna which amounts to N1.5 billion naira allegedly diverted
by the past administrations, adding that “if urgent action was not taken to
recover those lands, it will be occupied by trespassers”.

The committee also recommends the immediate confiscation of
a property “adjacent Wikki Hotel Bauchi which the former governor MA Abubakar
esq, sold to himself without following due process.”