Fear Grip Former Local Government Heads as EFCC Grills Ex-TIC Chairman, Aliyu Over Alleged ₦267.5m Fraud in Kwara

 A wave of anxiety has gripped former members of the Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) in Kwara State following the reported invitation of Mohammed Aliyu, the ex-TIC Chairman of Edu Local Government Area, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Aliyu was reportedly summoned to the EFCC Ilorin Zonal Office on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, in connection with allegations of misappropriating ₦267.5 million. The accusations stem from a petition filed by Alhaji Mohammad Al-Hassan on March 18, 2021.

The petition, titled “Request for an Investigation, Accountability, and Recovery of Two Hundred and Sixty-Seven Million and Five Hundred Thousand Naira Only Physical Funds and Internal Revenue Generated by the Staff and Contractors of Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State but Misappropriated by the Transition Implementation Committee Chairman, Mohammad Aliyu (AKA Labasa)”, covers alleged financial irregularities from March 2021 to May 2024.

Sources within the EFCC disclosed that during interrogation, Aliyu admitted to financial misconduct and a lack of due process in implementing physical projects and awarding contracts during his tenure. He also accused the state government of interfering with the council’s monthly statutory allocations and other intervention funds, citing expenditures on tractor purchases and state-sponsored programs as examples. Additionally, the disappearance of ecological funds was mentioned during the inquiry.

The EFCC, reportedly moved by the magnitude of Aliyu’s confessions, has issued invitations to the remaining 15 former TIC Chairmen in the state for questioning.

According to insiders, many of the former TIC members were allegedly complicit in similar financial irregularities in their respective local government areas. These revelations have led to public outrage, with citizens questioning the whereabouts of tractors and ecological funds meant for local development.

The state government has allegedly deployed legal counsel from the Office of the Commissioner for Justice and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to manage the fallout.

As the investigation unfolds, all eyes remain on the EFCC to deliver on its mandate of accountability and transparency, ensuring that the people of Kwara State receive answers regarding the alleged mismanagement of public funds.