The immediate past governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, and the 2015 gubernatorial candidate on the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Umar Nasko, have been formally charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly committing fraud worth N3 billion.
Nasko was Chief of Staff and Commissioner for Environment in Aliyu’s administration from 2007 to 2015. Both are being charged by the EFCC for stealing various sums of money totalling N3 billion.
Aliyu was alleged to have diverted N520 million from the state’s security account between January and March 2011. He was also alleged to have diverted another N1.7 billion from the same account within the same period.
The EFCC also accused Aliyu and Nasko of diverting another N1.09 billion, said to be 16 percent Niger State stake in the North South Power Company Limited.
One of the charges brought against the duo by the EFCC read: “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.”
