Nyako And Son Are Declared Wanted.

Nyako Blasts EFCC For Declaring Him Wanted.

The embattled former Governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, on Wednesday blasted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] for declaring him and his son wanted.

Former Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State

 

The former governor described the anti-graft agency’s latest ambush on him as the last kicks of a dying horse, saying President Goodluck Jonathan, will soon be kicked out of office.

Mr. Nyako who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES through his media assistant, Ahmed Sajoh, also noted that the Jonathan administration is intimidated by the soaring support he (Nyako) has continued to get even after he left office.

He said, “I am not aware of being declared wanted. But that is good.”

“If you are wanted by a rouge system, it means you are a good person. Has this government gone after anybody that is bad? They only run after the good people and allow the bad people to roam around them, live happily and enjoy whatever bad things they are doing.”

He believes that the government is being intimidated by the mammoth crowd that turned out for the All Progressives Congress, APC, rally in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.

According to him, the people of Adamawa State still love and support him even though he's no longer in office.

Interestingly, Nyako's son, Abdul Aziz Murtala Nyako, a retired Naval officer, is also declared wanted by the anti-graft agency in a case of criminal conspiracy, and money laundering.

 Shortly before Nyako's impeachment, the EFCC in June 2014, had frozen the bank accounts belonging to Adamawa State in what it then called a precautionary measure to safeguard the state treasury amidst evidence of looting uncovered by its operatives.

The commission had alleged massive looting of the treasury by top officials of Adamawa State government under Mr. Nyako, a development that, at the time, led to the arrest and questioning of key officials, including then Secretary to the State Government, the then State Commissioner for Finance, the then Commissioner for Higher Education, the then Accountant General of the State and the then Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Local Government.

Following  a critical analysis of the Joint State/Local Government account, there were revelations of  massive cash withdrawals from the State's treasury. The EFCC official accused the then Permanent Secretary of Local Governments of making cash withdrawals of over N2 billion in 181 different transactions, scattered in tranches of N3 million, N4 million, N8 million and N9 million per transaction from the State/Local Government account domiciled with First Bank between 29th of August 2011 and 2012. 

He also allegedly made similar cash withdrawals amounting to over N500 million between March 6, 2008, and March 4, 2011, from another Joint account domiciled in Keystone Bank.

Other officials of the ministry who allegedly looted the Joint Account include Justina Jari, a Principal Accountant with the ministry who made cash withdrawals up to  N600 million from the Joint Account between October, 2009 and February, 2011.

Another staff of the ministry, Abdulhakeem Mohammed was also alleged to have withdrawn about N3 billion from the account between February 2007 and May 2011. Two other staff, Mercy Wanje and Jumai Salihu were also said to have made withdrawals of N1 billion and N160 million from the account respectively.

On a single day, another staff called Haruna Hamali, a principal store officer made a cash withdrawal of over N70 million from the same account.

The state officials were arrested in connection with the withdrawals and other ongoing investigations.

Would you say Nyako's imminent arrest is justifiable following allegations made against him while in office?