The Patriots for the Advancement Of Peace and Social Development (PAPS) has called on the Acting Chairman Of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu to investigate the diversion of N10 billion belonging to the Zamfara State Government for the supply of fertilizers, Afro-chemicals and grains by two companies Babura Global Concept ltd and Dambazu Global Investment Ltd.
The Group in a statement copied from the personal page of Yariman Kwaren Ganuwa and alleged to be signed by its Executive Director Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi stated that the Zamfara State’s Project Verification Committee set up by Governor Bello Mohammed Matawallen had in it’s interim report dated February 2020 indicated that the state government received N10Billion from the Federal Government and lost the same amount the same day for no justifyable cause.
According to him “it was discovered that in February, 2019 the previous administration secured a loan of N10Billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). N5billion was meant for the supply of Afro-Chemicals that includes pesticides, herbicides and other accessories while the other N5billion was for the purchase of grains and other agricultural commodities.
“The contracts were awarded to Babura Global Concept Ltd and Danbazau Global Investment Ltd. Babura was to supply Afro-chemicals while Danbazau was to supply grains worth N5billion. The Committee discovered that the loans were dubiously obtained from the CBN with no official records to specify 100 percent of the entire dealings, the violations of loans securing and contracts awards have not been optimally followed” he added.
He stated that “the Federal Government gave Zamfara State N5billion for the purchase of fertilizer and procurement of agricultural inputs through the Zamfara State Commodity Marketing and Distribution Board (ZASCO). The amount was credited to ZASCO through its account number 1014692584 domiciled with Zenith Bank. The money is for boosting agricultural production, but it was never used as the whole amount was transferred to the account of Babura Global Concept Account Number 1013486487 domiciled with Zenith Bank with a view to supplying fertilizer to the state.
“This transaction was done in 5 tranches of Multics Of one billion naira on the 6th Of February 2019 as directed by the then Permanent Secretary Ministry Of Finance Abubakar Bello Ruwan Doruwa possibly to circumvent certain banking provisions.
The Company is a Bureau de Change Organisation and it is not registered for the procurement of Agricultural Commodities or input but in hard currencies. The Committee discovered that all payments were done in three days from the 6th and 8th February 2019 at the heat of the APC primaries crises.
“At a certain level, the Director Of Finance ZASCO Yusuf Garba Gusau was threatened by the Permanent Secretary Ministry Of Finance when he was insisting on due process and proper documentations. The directive was complied by the MD Of ZASCO Abdulsalam Turaki to Zenith Bank to effect e-payment transfer to the beneficiary of Babura Global Concept ltd was Of one billion each on February 6th, 2019. Both the inflow and outflow were made on 6th and 8th February,2019 as per Bank Statement attached as appendix XX in appendix XVI.
“The sum of N 5 billion was paid into the account of the Board from the CBN after the Board received directives from the then Permanent Secretary, Zamfara Ministry Of Finance to reactivate it’s dormant which hopefully has not been covered by the Treasury Single Account (TSA). The Board’s dormant account was reactivated with an opening balance of N 15,055.50 on February 6th by the Director Of Finance. On the same date the sum of N285,000 was deposited into the account by one Yahaya Bala an account with the Board.
After the payment of the N5 billion by the CBN into the Board’s account the said funds were credited to the accounts of Dambazau Global Investment Company Ltd with no Executive Council Council approval granted to obtain the N10Billion loan from the CBN to purchase Agro Chemicals and Agricultural Commodities.
The Committee recommended that the two companies Babura Global Concept Ltd and Dambazau Global Investment Ltd to refund the sum of N5billion each in addition to any legal measures deemed appropriate by the Commission of for taking an illegal shoddy deal to recover the amounts involved in purported contracts awarded.
