The Assets Recovery Committee set up by the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has explained that two former Governors of Bauchi State Mallam Isa Yuguda and the immediate past Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar and their associates are to refund over one trillion Naira allegedly looted during their tenures to Bauchi State Government.
This is coming as the committee which is preparing to wind up activities claim that it discovered more items allegedly belonging to the State Government in the House of the Former Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar.
A member of the committee Barrister Lawal Husseini Ibrahim stated this in Bauchi Saturday while answering question on the activities of the committee.
He said “as the committee was rounding up its activities it received a whistleblower tip of items being carted away and transferred outside the state by the family of former governor Abubakar, the committee visited the House of the former Governor at Fadaman Mada and was able to recover only few items like 105 Pasta making machines, 10 sewing machines, cartons of surgical hand gloves and several office furniture belonging to the Bauchi Government, the committee had earlier recovered four tractors, a luxury Bus and a House belonging to the state government which the former governor Abubakar sold to himself.
The house is located opposite Government House adjacent to Wikki Hotel”
Lawal said the committee traced a lot of Bauchi Government properties and resources frittered away by the two former governors and their associates and the committee may submit its report any moment and expressed optimism that if the recommendations of the committee are implemented the two former governors and their associates will refund over one trillion naira to the state government.
When asked about the suit filed by the two former governors challenging the activities of the committee, Barrister Lawal said “ Yes the former governors Abubakar and Yuguda took the committee before the Federal High Court in Abuja and Bauchi State High Court but the committee is responding adequately to the suits and will submit its report without hitches by the grace of Allah”.
He said the committee traced over 16 different lands, building and properties at different locations in Kaduna State with certificate of occupancy belonging to the Bauchi government and they investigated various contracts awarded by the two previous administrations like purchase of 500 tractors of which 40 were delivered, how ecological funds, Paris club refunds and various loans were taken and details of their findings will be made available when they submit their report to the government.