Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris
By Our Reporter
The Accountant-General of the federation, Ahmed Idris, is currently cooling his heels in the cell of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. He was arrested over alleged money laundering and diversion of public funds, Idris was arrested in Kano by operatives of the EFCC on Monday evening and is being flown to Abuja, the nation’s capital, for interrogation.
Multiple sources squealed that the EFCC has for sometime now been investigating a case of diversion of N80 billion in public funds which was allegedly laundered through some bogus contracts.
The companies used in laundering the funds have allegedly been linked to family members and associates of the accountant-general, investigators said.
NATIONAL WAVES further gathered that Mr Idris was summoned repeatedly for interrogation but he failed to honour the invitations.
“We kept inviting him but he kept dodging us,” a reliable source hinted thus newspaper. “We were left with no choice than to keep him under watch and arrest him.”
Spokesperson for the EFCC,
Mr Wilson Uwujaren issued a statement saying, “Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, May 16, 2022 arrested serving Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Ahmed Idris in connection with diversion of funds and money laundering activities to the tune of N80billion( Eighty Billion Naira.
“The Commission’s verified intelligence showed that the AGF raked off the funds through bogus consultancies and other illegal activities using proxies, family members and close associates.
“The funds were laundered through real estate investments in Kano and Abuja.
Mr Idris was arrested after failing to honour invitations by the EFCC to respond to issues connected to the fraudulent acts.”
President Muhammed Buhari appointed Mr Idris accountant-general on June 25, 2015.
The position became vacant at the time after the former Accountant General, Jonah Otunla, left office on June 12, 2015.
President Buhari reappointed Mr Idris for a second four-year term in June 2019, amid criticisms from labour groups who said the accountant-general should retire after turning 60.
Mr Idris, a native of Kano State, North-west Nigeria, was born on November 25, 1960, and was until his appointment in 2015 the Director of Finance and Accounts, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development.
