From Ali Abare, Gombe
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it is still investigating the alleged mismanagement of N388 million during the last general election campaigns in Gombe State.
Members of staff of the Independent National Electoral Comission (INEC), heads of security agencies as well as officials of the state Government House were linked to the fraud.
Head of Operations, Gombe Zonal Office of the anti-graft agency, Aminu Ado Aliyu said already, EFCC had prosecuted some members of staff of INEC found wanting, as well as invited some head of security agencies to appear before the commission.
“Though a year has passed since the commencement of the case, investigations are still ongoing. Soon, we will invite politicians involved in the case to determine their involvement.”
He explained that the agency did not want to rush to the media while investigation was still ongoing in order not to pre-empt the outcome of the investigation.
“If you observed, we have been inviting some of the various security heads that were on ground during the elections,” he said.
The zonal office had sometimes last year detained the accountant of the Government House, Gombe, Mr. Mohammed Balbaya over N388 million 2015 election campaign funds for the state.
The agency said though Mr. Balbaya did not disclose who the beneficiaries of the money were and the amount each individual or group collected from him, he, however, gave the EFCC useful information, saying any public officials found wanting in the case would be prosecuted.