ABUJA — Barely a week after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, threatened to declare him wanted over alleged laundering of over N300 billion during his tenure, the former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, last night voluntarily surrendered to the agency for interrogation.
The former governor walked into the hands of his interrogators at the commission’s head office in Abuja at 6pm and was immediately taken in.
A top source at the commission confirmed that Sheriff was quizzed over N300 billion allegedly taken from the coffers of the state without any work done with it as claimed by his administration.
“We want the former governor to also explain to us how N13 billion taken from local government joint account in the state was used and what it was used for,” the source said.
Sheriff is alleged to have claimed that his administration used the sum to execute some infrastructural projects to prepare the ground for the inauguration of the administration of his successor in 2011.
But the anti-graft agency said last night that no such project was executed and the money not accounted for in addition to the N13 billion said to have vanished form the state’s local government joint account.
“I can confirm to you that the former governor of Borno State is with us and we cannot say for how long our operatives will keep him. We really want to know the truth from him before deciding on whether there is enough evidence to charge him to court or not,” the official said.
Last week, the commission had served notice of his intention to declare Sheriff wanted if he continued to ignore his invitations.
Sheriff is the second former governor to surrender voluntarily this week to answer questions bordering on their tenure.
Former Adamawa governor, Murtala Nyako, surrendered on Monday and has been admitted to bail on personal recognition over N15 billion fund alleged to have been laundered during his administration.(Vanguard)
