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My predecessor spent N2.3bn on burial in five months – Bauchi gov

Published

6 years ago

June 24, 2019

The Bauchi State Governor , Bala Mohammed , has alleged that his predecessor , Mohammed Abubakar , spent N 2 . 3 bn to buy materials for burial in the state .

But Abubakar has dismissed the allegation , describing it as laughable .
The governor , who spoke through his spokesperson, Dr Ladan Salihu , in an interview with journalists in Bauchi , said the funds were spent between January and May, 2019 .

He explained that over N 900m was spent on the purchase of white cloth used for wrapping corpses while over N 1 . 4 bn was used to buy the wood for lacing the graves after burial .

According to him , the government discovered issues of corruption , venality , daylight robbery of the commonwealth of the people of the state .

Ladan alleged , “ This money which ought to have been appropriated by the state House of Assembly before expenditure , all of a sudden emanated from our treasury books . How could you imagine that a state government , within five months , that is , between January and May, 2019 , spent well over N 2 . 3 bn on funeral materials , dresses for wrapping dead bodies and the woods that you lace the graveyards with . ”

Asked if the state government had any proof to substantiate its claim , he said there was no iota of doubt on the matter , saying that there was documentary evidence to prove that .

“ All these are captured in the report of the transition committee and these were gathered from documents and vouchers and payments made from our treasury books . There is the Freedom of Information Law, use it and find out for yourself from those documents , ” Ladan said .

The governor ’ s spokesman vowed that the state government would use every instrument of the law , including petitioning the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission and other anti -corruption agencies on the matter , “ until every kobo stolen is returned . ”

Ladan said , “ Government will take stern measures ; we will recover every kobo that has been looted or stolen by the immediate past administration and , in fact , the administration before it . Where it is established that there is a clear case of misappropriation or outright stealing of public funds , it ’ s an obligation , you don’ t allow criminality to run roughshod on the rest of us because these are public funds . ”
When contacted by our correspondent for a reaction , the media aide to the former governor , Ali M . Ali , said he was not aware of such allegation .

He said , “ I’ ve not heard of anything like that so I will speak on it when I make my findings but this is laughable . I will get back to you on that when I have done my findings . ”
He had yet to get back to our correspondent 24 hours after he was first contacted on the matter .