Budget Passing Scandal: EFCC grills Jibrin for 7 hours
Wed Aug 10, 2016 07:54:am National
2.3K By Buchi Obichie
A formal probe into the alleged padding of the 2016 budget, has been
launched by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The anti-graft commission on Tuesday grilled the former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jirbin, for seven hours.
Jibrin, who raised the allegations of padding of the budget against Speaker Dogara and four other principal officers of the House, was the first to be quizzed in what EFCC officials claimed would be a thorough investigation to get to the root of the matter.
The former Chairman was reportedly asked by EFCC operatives to authenticate his claims about the alleged improprieties and also questioned about a petition written against him by some aggrieved youths that he (Jibrin) used his position to loot N418 million through fake contracts from the National Refugees Commission.
Jibrin arrived the EFCC premises around 10 a.m., and did not leave until 5p.m..
Before leaving, Jibrin reportedly filed more allegations against Dogara and his principal officers, accusing them of maintaining guest houses at the expense of Government.
He also alleged that Dogara and others were breaching extant financial rules as they were collecting rents from their homes, while pretending to be staying in rented quarters.
The EFCC has reportedly written two letters to the Permanent Secretary in the Budget & National Planning Ministry to furnish it with the details of the budget presented to the National Assembly; and that which was returned to the Presidency by the lawmakers.
The letter was dated August 3, 2016.
Similarly, the agency has dispatched another letter to the Clerk of the National Assembly, requesting him to provide the EFCC with a comprehensive list of all contracts awarded since inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, last year.
In addition, the commission asked the National Assembly to forward the list of contract beneficiaries and accounts into which payments were made by the legislature within the period under review.
It also requested for total amount already paid to each of the contractors and the outstanding balances for each.
The anti-graft commission on Tuesday grilled the former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jirbin, for seven hours.
Jibrin, who raised the allegations of padding of the budget against Speaker Dogara and four other principal officers of the House, was the first to be quizzed in what EFCC officials claimed would be a thorough investigation to get to the root of the matter.
The former Chairman was reportedly asked by EFCC operatives to authenticate his claims about the alleged improprieties and also questioned about a petition written against him by some aggrieved youths that he (Jibrin) used his position to loot N418 million through fake contracts from the National Refugees Commission.
Jibrin arrived the EFCC premises around 10 a.m., and did not leave until 5p.m..
Before leaving, Jibrin reportedly filed more allegations against Dogara and his principal officers, accusing them of maintaining guest houses at the expense of Government.
He also alleged that Dogara and others were breaching extant financial rules as they were collecting rents from their homes, while pretending to be staying in rented quarters.
The EFCC has reportedly written two letters to the Permanent Secretary in the Budget & National Planning Ministry to furnish it with the details of the budget presented to the National Assembly; and that which was returned to the Presidency by the lawmakers.
The letter was dated August 3, 2016.
Similarly, the agency has dispatched another letter to the Clerk of the National Assembly, requesting him to provide the EFCC with a comprehensive list of all contracts awarded since inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, last year.
In addition, the commission asked the National Assembly to forward the list of contract beneficiaries and accounts into which payments were made by the legislature within the period under review.
It also requested for total amount already paid to each of the contractors and the outstanding balances for each.
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