The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged the immediate past Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu and the 2015 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Umar Nasko, with an alleged N3bn fraud.
Nasko also served as Chief of Staff and Commissioner for Environment under Aliyu’s administration between 2007 and 2015.
The charges were filed before a Federal High Court in Minna, Niger State.
The EFCC says Aliyu diverted N520million from the state’s Security Account domiciled in Zenith Bank account between January and March 2011.
He also diverted a separate N1.7billion from the same account within the same period.
Aliyu and Nasko also allegedly diverted N1.09billion, which was 16% of Niger State’s shares in the North South Power Company Limited in 2015.
“That you, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, being the governor (also known as chief servant) of Niger State from 2007 to 2015; Umar Mohammed Nasko, being the former Commissioner for Environment/Chief of Staff to Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, sometime between April 7, 2015 and December 7, 2015 in Minna within the jurisdiction of this honourable court while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to Niger State Government dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of N1,090, 000,000, which formed part of the proceeds of the sale of 16 per cent shares of the sale of Niger State in the North South Power Company Limited and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 312 of the Penal Code,” one of the charges read.