Ali Modu Sheriff wanted over N300 billion Borno funds by EFCC

Ali Modu Sheriff

A former governor of Borno State, Mr Ali Modu Sheriff, is expected to appear before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Thursday.
He has been summoned by the Commission in Abuja with the charges of allegations of “misappropriation, embezzlement of funds and abuse of office while he was in Office”.

Sources told us that if Mr. Sheriff failed to show up as directed, he would be declared wanted and then arrested.

He is also closely monitored not to flee the country, we also gathered that the investigation is related with allegations of the N300billion his administration received from the Federation Account between 2003 and 2011 may not have been judiciously spent.

The investigation began in 2012 and had been ongoing ever since, our sources said.
Mr. Sheriff ruled Borno State on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party [ANPP].
Before then, he was senator between 1999 and 2003 on the ticket of the same party.
It remains unclear why Mr. Sheriff is being invited by the anti-graft agency at the tail end of an administration formed by his own party, PDP, which he joined only last year.
The spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, could not be reached to comment for this story. He did not answer or return calls. He also did not respond to a text message seeking comment.
Mr. Sheriff too could not be reached. His known mobile telephone was switched off for most of Tuesday and Wednesday. Multiple calls to his spokesperson, Inuwa Bwala, failed to connect.
The former governor, who has since fallen out with his successor, Kashim Shetttima, dumped the All Progressives Congress, which he helped formed in 2013.
Before leaving the APC, Mr. Sheriff clashed repeatedly with some leaders of the opposition party, including a former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, who he accused of harbouring dictatorial tendencies. On one occasion, Mr. Sheriff had a shouting match with Mr. Tinubu at a meeting.
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Mr. Sheriff told journalists after meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan last year that his defection to the PDP was in Nigeria’s interest.
Apparently because of his romance with the ruling party, the PDP Federal Government rebuffed calls for his arrest and prosecution over his alleged link with Boko Haram.
Mr. Sheriff, alongside a former Chief of Army Staff, Azubuike Ihejirika, and an unnamed Central Bank of Nigeria official, was named by an Australian hostage negotiator, Stephen Davies, as sponsors of the dreaded terrorist group.
Messrs Sheriff and Ihejirika strongly denied the allegations, and Mr. Davies has so far failed to provide evidence of their culpability.
In September 2014, despite the allegation against Mr. Sheriff, which the State Security Service claimed it was investigating at the time, the former Borno governor was in President Jonathan’s company during an official visit to Chadian President, Idris Deby, to discuss how to combat insurgency in Nigeria.
The opposition APC and some civil society organisations slammed the president for hobnobbing with the ex-governor.
But in defence, the president, through his media adviser, Reuben Abati, accused the opposition and other critics of creating false impression that Mr. Sheriff was part of the president’s official delegation to Chad.

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RMD denies N50 million fraud, my hands are clean he says

RMD and Toolz

According to Sahara Reporters, star actor and current Delta State commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Richard Mofe Damijo, is at the centre of an alleged fraudulent transfer of funds which the EFCC is supposedly currently investigating. The report claimed that RMD and the acting GM of the Delta State Tourism Board, Mrs Philo Nkem Ajufo, squandered N50 million belonging to the ministry (Google the story, it's all over the net).

RMD has finally reacted to the allegations, insisting it's not true.
"I won't respond to Sahara Reports. When it's time, I will. And I'm sure you know it's not true" He told Encomium magazine on March 3rd.
RMD and Toolz hosted Iyanya's concert on Saturday and the governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan was in the audience. The most interesting part of this allegation is that EFCC is yet to alert the nation of any fraud in Delta State.

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RMD In EFCC Mess Over N50m Scandal

Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD)

Who is lying against RMD? How can anyone say he is on d run from the EFCC over 50million Naira? That kind peanut? What would he be doing stealing a paltry sum in the midst of billions and trillions? Abeg RMD, speak out now, we dey wait. No fall my hand o!

The above, a Facebook status update by Moji Danisa aptly captures what’s in the minds of many, concerning recent news about actor-politician Richard Mofe-Damijo.
Since news broke last week that Richard Mofe Damijo is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for his alleged involvement in a N50 million embezzlement scam, the entire industry has been buzzing, with many hoping the EFCC story is just a joke.

And like Danisa, many waited for days, refusing to reach a conclusion until the man at the centre of it all came out to state his side. But mum is the word so far.
Multiple reports last week say RMD who is currently serving as the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in the Delta State Government is wanted for interrogation by the anti-corruption agency in Abuja to explain the disappearance of N50m.

Sahara Reporters says the EFCC already has in its net, one Mrs Nkem Ajufo, the Acting General Manager of the Delta State Tourism Board who the agency claims connived with her boss, RMD to embezzle the said money.
The money, NET gathered, was initially meant for a 2007 Delta Expo event which never held because the fund were not released until May, 2012 under the watch of RMD, the present commissioner of the ministry.

‘The fund disappeared without a trace’, said one source.
It was also alleged that Mr. Mofe Damijo had issued a cheque to the tourism board in the name of its acting GM, Ms. Ajufo who in turn deposited same into her First Bank account with account number (3006131619) operated under her name, Nkem Philo Ajufo.

But there’s no mention of this particular case on the EFCC website. The EFCC usually updates its website with details of on-going cases and convictions. The agency did not immediately respond to our enquiries.
Last year, the 52 year-old commissioner threatened to sue popular blogger, Linda Ikeji for reporting that he had acquired a Lagos property worth about N250million.

No comments yet from RMD and the ministry, as repeated enquiries were yet to be answered as at Sunday night.
It’s uncertain if he’s back from the US, where he recently attended the 55th annual Grammys. And he’s not responded to fan queries on Facebook and Twitter, seeking to know if he’s indeed ‘on the run’.

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