A Federal High Court in Abuja has declared Adamu Aliyu, a member of the Plateau State House of Assembly, wanted over allegations that he defrauded a businessman of N73.6 million using a fake Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) contract.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the high court issued the order on Friday, following an application by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
|
|
Anti-graft investigators alleged that the lawmaker repeatedly ignored invitations to respond to or refute the allegations against him.
According to court filings seen by PREMIUM TIMES, the case originated from a petition by a businessman, Mohammed Jidda, who alleged that Mr Aliyu, a lawmaker representing Jos north-north, promised to help him secure a N850 million TETFund contract at the University of Jos.
|
|
|
|---|
The lawmaker allegedly entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mr Jidda, under which the businessman agreed to pay N73.6 million as an advance once a contract award letter was issued.
The MoU also stated that Mr Jidda will pay N52 million to Imanal Concept Ltd upon receiving the award of contract as facilitation fee.
Imanal Concept is owned by Saad Abubakar, who Mr Aliyu said is the facilitator of the contract.
Mr Jidda told investigators that Mr Aliyu later handed him a document purporting to be a contract award letter from the University of Jos for the construction of an indoor sports hall under a TETFund intervention project valued at N500 million.
On the strength of the letter, Mr Aliyu reportedly supplied two bank accounts to the businessman including his personal account domiciled with Guaranty Trust Bank and another corporate account in the name of Imanal Concept Ltd domiciled with Zenith Bank to enable the petitioner to pay the alleged amount.
Upon receipt of the said account details, the petitioner paid a total of N73.6 million to the bank accounts supplied by the lawmaker.
But when Mr Jidda approached the University of Jos to begin contract documentation, he was informed that no such contract existed.
The institution later confirmed in writing to the ICPC that the contract award letter was a forgery.
ICPC investigation
The anti-graft agency opened an investigation and obtained bank statements showing the flow of funds into the lawmaker’s personal and corporate accounts.
According to investigators, the payments included N47.8 million into Mr Aliyu’s GTBank personal account, N22.4 million into Imanal Concept Ltd’s Zenith Bank account, and an additional N3.2 million transferred directly to Mr Aliyu.
The ICPC subsequently invited the lawmaker through the Clerk of the Plateau Assembly and via his WhatsApp number, where he allegedly acknowledged receiving the message.
However, he failed to appear for questioning.
The commission also told the court it had also received credible intelligence suggesting Mr Aliyu was planning to abandon his legislative duties and flee the country to evade investigation.
Court application by ICPC
Faced with his alleged refusal to honour lawful invitations, the ICPC approached the court for an order to permit it to “declare the lawmaker wanted in any national newspaper, social media platforms and other mediums, for failing to honour the Commission’s invitations for investigation activities.”
The commission also urged the court to issue a bench/arrest warrant, directing operatives of the ICPC and other law enforcement agents including private persons to identify and arrest Mr Aliyu and hand him over to the ICPC for the purpose of investigation.
Court ruling
On Friday, Justice Nwite granted the ICPC request, issuing an arrest warrant and authorising the commission to publish a “wanted person” notice for Mr Aliyu in national newspapers and on social media.
The court ruling also empowered law enforcement agents, including the police and private citizens, to arrest him and hand him over to the commission.
Lawmaker’s response
When PREMIUM TIMES contacted Mr Aliyu on Friday evening, he denied the allegations. He said he was not aware of the ICPC’s invitation, saying he only learned of it through the Clerk of the Plateau Assembly while he was in Saudi Arabia.
He also denied defrauding Mr Jidda, insisting he has since refunded N45 million that entered his account through the businessman’s company, Mohiba Investment Limited. Payment receipts seen by this newspaper show he transferred N5 million, N10 million, N10 million, and N20 million in separate transactions to a Zenith bank account belonging to Mohiba Investment Ltd.
The lawmaker also denied issuing the forged contract award letter, claiming it was obtained by Mr Abubakar. Mr Aliyu said his role was limited to only delivering the letter to Mr Jidda.
READ ALSO: ‘Ignore his crocodile tears,’ Enugu govt insists Sujimoto CEO defrauded it of N5.7 billion
On 8 September, Mr Aliyu’s lawyers, Adams & Co Firstlog Chambers, wrote to the ICPC arguing that the matter was already before a civil court, describing it as a dispute over “consultancy services/facilitation of contract award” rather than a criminal matter. The lawmaker did not provide details of the case and the judge handling the matter to PREMIUM TIMES despite our request.
Allegations before the court
Despite the defence, court filings show that the lawmaker is under investigation for corruption, forgery, cheating, abuse of office and related offences.
The ICPC argued that because it lacks constitutional powers to declare a person wanted without court approval, it had to seek judicial authorisation.
The commission also noted that the warrant would allow it to enlist the assistance of the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) should the lawmaker attempt to escape abroad.
With the order in place, the ICPC is expected to issue a formal public notice declaring the lawmaker wanted in the coming days.
