There are strong expectations that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and related agencies may soon visit Kogi State to investigate the Commissioner for Finance, Budget, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Asiwaju Asiru Idris and three others over misappropriation of local government fund.

The move is related to some petitions and public outcry that have followed the untold hardship faced by the civil servants in the state. Social media reports allege that the Commissioner and three others might be invited to answer some fundamental questions which bothers on how the funds are being used at the expense of an average local government worker in the state.

Meanwhile, Senior Magistrate Clement Kekere has adjourned till July 21st a corruption case involving two petitioners, a businessman and David Sunday Moses aka Aloomo, the Senior Special Assistant on Security Matters to Governor Yahaya Bello in charge of MopAmuro Local Government Area. The adjournment was caused by the deaths of Justices Shuaibu Atadoga and Nasiru Ajanah, President Customary Court of Appeals and Kogi State Chief Judge respectively.

After staying in detention for nine days the trio of Samuel Ajewole a businessman, Alege V.M and Sunmonu Abayomi, both civil servants were arraigned for conspiracy and defamation of character at the Senior Magistrate Court sitting in Lokoja.

The suspects are on trial for the roles they allegedly played in the draft and circulation of a petition against the MopAmuro LG boss.
The MopAmuro chapter of the Non Academic Staff Union NASU, of Secondary Schools, had in a petition accused Moses aka Alomo of outright embezzlement of the council fund to the tune of N44 million. The said fund was meant for the payment of 10 months outstanding and three months salary of the workers. The arrears have been pending since 2016.

Both Alege and Sunmonu who signed the petition are Chairperson and Secretary respectively of the Union in the Local Government Area. Ajewole is said to have shared a post on the petition on his Facebook page. Alumo was former Administrator of the council and now seeking to be it’s elected Chairman.

According to the petitioners, the State government has released the said money to the council areas. They explained that while their colleagues in other Local Government Areas have been paid, David diverted their own money to personal needs.

“Our complaint against the administrator is in respect of the sum of N44, 000,000 (Forty–Four Million Naira) only which was part of the money given to the Administrator by the state government to settle our 13 months outstanding salary arrears from 2016. The said sums are emanated from the 10 months salary and 3 months bailout given to the administrator.

“It is a fact that cannot be denied that the said sums were given to our Administrator to pay our 13 months salary just like they were given to other Administrators in the state. It will interest you to know sir, that all the Administrators in the state paid the said 13 months salary to their staff as appropriated save our own”

The men were released on bail. It was however gathered that they have been under pressure to withdraw their petition and write a letter of apology to the Council boss, in order to save their jobs. Thus far, they have held to their position, maintaining that their petition was based on facts.