Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has on Monday, May 16 arrested Ahmed Idris, accountant-general of the federation, over alleged money laundering and diversion of public funds.
Though details of the arrest are still sketchy, the commission, in a statement on Monday, said it is investigating him over alleged misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80 billion.
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According to PremiumTimes, Idris was intercepted in Kano by operatives of EFCC on Monday evening and is being flown to Abuja, the nation’s capital, for interrogation.
Sources said the EFCC had been investigating a case of diversion of at least N80 billion in public funds which was allegedly laundered through some bogus contracts.
The companies used in laundering the funds have allegedly been linked to family members and associates of the accountant-general, investigators said.
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The sources, according to PremiumTimes, further said after progress was made in the investigation, Idris was summoned repeatedly for interrogation but he failed to honour the invitations.
One of the sources said;
We kept inviting him but he kept dodging us. We were left with no choice than to keep him under watch and arrest him.
EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren in a statement said;
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, May 16, 2022 arrested serving Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Ahmed Idris in connection with diversion of funds and money laundering activities to the tune of N80billion( Eighty Billion Naira only).
The Commission’s verified intelligence showed that the AGF raked off the funds through bogus consultancies and other illegal activities using proxies, family members and close associates. The funds were laundered through real estate investments in Kano and Abuja.
Mr Idris was arrested after failing to honour invitations by the EFCC to respond to issues connected to the fraudulent acts.
President Muhammed Buhari appointed Idris as accountant-general on June 25, 2015.
The position became vacant at the time after the former Accountant General, Jonah Otunla, left office on June 12, 2015.
President Buhari reappointed Idris for a second four-year term in June 2019, amid criticisms from labour groups who said the accountant-general should retire after turning 60.
Idris, a native of Kano State, North-west Nigeria, was born on November 25, 1960, and was until his appointment in 2015 the Director of Finance and Accounts, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development.
