More facts have emerged on Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, who has been under investigation for alleged money laundering by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for using state funds to buy properties worth billions of naira in Abuja.
The governor who has been standing trial before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja was also accused of an offence bordering on money laundering.
Findings by SaharaReporters revealed how the governor used the state Ministry of Finance, Zamfara State, to transfer a total sum of N2,117,751,000 (Two Billion, One Hundred and Seventeen Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty-One Thousand Naira) into the Zenith Bank account number 1017028409 of the Directorate of Investment and Business Development, Office of the Executive Governor, Government House, Gusau, Zamfara State, between October 2020 and December 2020.
It was gathered that in November 2020. One Alhaji Abubakar Halliru contacted one Sani Bako to use his company (Aceworld Consult and Integrated Services Limited) to receive money from the above Zamfara State Government and launder the same by the purchase of properties in Abuja. (a copy of the statement of Sani Bako was attached by the commission and marked as EXHIBIT EFCC 4).
Not based on such agreement, the total sum of N1,763,000,000 (One Billion, Seven Hundred & Sixty-Three Million Naira) was deposited into the account of Aceworld Consult & Integrated Services Limited on the 11th and 16th of December, 2020 from the bank account of the Directorate of Investment and Business Development, Office of the Executive Governor, Government House, Gusau, Zamfara State. (A copy of the Zenith Bank Statement of AceworId Consult & Integrated Services was attached by the commission and marked as EXHIBIT EFCC 5).
On the 14th of December 2020, Mr. Sani Bako (MD of Aceworld Consult & Integrated Services Limited) acting on the instruction of Alhaji Abubakar Haliru, transferred the total sum of N350,000,000.00 (Three Hundred & Fifty Million Naira) into the Providus Bank account number 5400550513 of Fezel Nigeria Ltd. as part payment for the purchase of Plot 729, Idu industrial Estate, Abuja, on behalf of Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle. (A copy of the Providus Bank statement of account of Fezel Nig. Ltd was attached by the commission and marked as EXHIBIT EFCC 6).
It was also learnt that in December 2020, Alhaji Abubakar Haliru contacted one Ashafa Saidu, an unregistered BDC operator, to receive funds from the said Zamfara State Government account and launder the same for the purchase of properties in Abuja on behalf of Governor Matawalle.
Based on the preceding agreement, Alhaji Abubakar Haliru also handed over hundreds of thousands of United States Dollars to Ashafa Saidu which the latter handed over to Sa’adu A. Sadiq on December 4, 2020, for conversion into naira for onward transfer into the account of vendors for the purchase of Plot 729, Idu Industrial Estate, Abuja. (A copy of the statement of Ashafa Sa’idu was attached by the commission and marked as EXHIBIT EFCC 7).
From the documents, Ashafa Saidu, who is the alter ego of ASG Yanware Ventures, an unlicensed BDC operator, contacted his colleagues Sa’adu A. Sadiq Sadiq & Sons, AZA Yanware Ventures Enterprises, Naziru Aliyu Ibrahim, Mohammed Yahuza, and B Goni Multi Services Limited are to receive and launder money on behalf of the Alhaji Abubakar Haliru for the purchase of Plot 729, Idu Industrial Estate, Abuja.
Based on the agreement in the preceding paragraphs, Aceworld Consult & integrated Services Limited, acting under the instruction of Alhaji Abubakar Haliru transferred the rest of the money it received from the Directorate of Investment and Business Development, Office of the Governor of Zamfara State, amounting to over N1, 400, 000, 000 (One Billion, Four Hundred Million Naira) into various bank accounts of unregistered Bureau De Change operators (BDC) such as AZA Yanware Enterprises, Doura & Sons Global Enterprises, B Goni Multi Services Limited, Mohammed Yahuza, Marisco Global Enterprise, Gandankanya Global Concept.
Also, AZA Yanware Enterprises, Mohammed Yahuza, and B Goni Multi Services Limited received a total sum of N631,000,000.00 (Six Hundred & Thirty-One Million Naira) as part of the N1,763, 000,000.00 sent into the account of Aceworid Consult & Integrated Services Ltd.
It was also learnt that Saidu Ashafa transferred the total sum of N353,000,000.00 (Three Hundred and Fifty-Three million Naira) into the Providus bank account of the Fezel Nig. Ltd on behalf of Governor Matawalle for the purchase of Plot 729 Idu Industrial Estate.
Also from the documents, between 4th December 2020, and 9th December 2020, Sa’idu A. Sadiq & Sons transferred the total sum of N335,000,000. 00 (Three Hundred and Thirty-Five Million Naira into the Providus Bank account 54005505 of Fezel Nig. LTD for the purchase of Plot 729 Idu industrial Estate for Governor Matawalle.
Ashafa Sa’idu acting on the instruction of Abubakar Haliru caused one Ibrahim Naziru to Aliyu, a BDC operator to deposit the total sum of N60,000,000. 00 (Sixty Million Naira) into the Providus Bank account 54005505 of Fezel Nig. LTD for the purchase of Plot 729 Idu industrial Estate for Gov. Matawalle.
AZA Yanware enterprises further transferred the total sum of N109,980,000.00 (One Hundred and Nine Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira) into the account of Fezel Nig. LTD for the purchase of Plot 729 Idu industrial Estate for Governor Matawalle.
ASG Yanware ventures, acting on the instruction of Sa’idu Ashafa, transferred a total sum of N32, 000, 000. 00 (Thirty-Two Million Naira) into the Providus Bank account of Fezel Nig Ltd for the purchase of Plot 729 Idu Industrial Estate for Gov. Matawalle.
Sani Ibrahim Muhammad transferred a total sum of N29, 250, 000 (Twenty Nine Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) into the Providus Bank account of Fezel Nig. LTD for the purchase of Plot 729 Idu industrial Estate for Gov. Matawalle.
Based on the arrangement between Ashafa Sa’idu & Abubakar Haliru, the bureau de change operators deposited the total sum of over N959, 230, 000.00 (Nine Hundred and Fifty-Nine Million, Two Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira) into the Providus Bank account of Fezel Nig. Ltd for the purchase of Plot 729 ldu Industrial Estate for Gov. MatawaIle. (A copy of the chart showing the laundering of the funds from the Zamfara State Government account was attached by the commission and marked as Exhibit EFCC 8).
According to documents, Aceworld Consult Integrated Services transferred a total sum of Two Hundred and Seventy Million Naira (N270, 000, 000.00) to Mohammed Yahuza’s bank account (an unlicensed bureau de change Operator for the purchase of properties for Governor Matawalle.
Also, Aceworld Consult Integrated Services transferred a total sum of Two Hundred and Eleven Million Naira (N211,000,000.00) to Goni Multi Services Ltd’s bank account (an unlicensed bureau de change operator) for the purchase of properties for Governor Matawalle.
Aceworld Consult Integrated Services transferred a total sum of Two Hundred and Eighty Million Naira (N280,000,000.00) to Gondankaya Global Concept Ltd’s bank account (an unlicensed bureau de change operator) for the purchase of properties for Governor Matawalle.
Meanwhile, Aceworld Consult Integrated Services transferred the total sum of Two Hundred and Seventy Million Naira (N270,000,000,00) to Daura Sons Global Enterprises’ bank account (an unlicensed bureau de change operator) for the purchase of properties for Governor Matawalle.
Also, Aceworld Consult Integrated Services transferred a total sum of One Billion, Two Hundred Million Naira (N1, 200, 000, 000.00) to S. Morisco Enterprises’ bank account (an unlicensed bureau de change operator) for the purchase of properties for Governor Matawalle.
It was stated that Aceworld Consult Integrated Services transferred a total sum of One Billion, Two Hundred and Thirty-One Million Naira (N1, 231, 000, 000.00) to unlicensed Bureau de change operators in paragraphs 27 to 31 above on the instruction of Alhaji Abubakar Haliru for the purchase of the properties listed in the schedule to Applicant’s Application for Interim Forfeiture for the benefit of Governor Matawalle.
The property at Plot 515 Cadastral Zone B00, Kukwaba comprising 8.78 hectares was acquired from the original allottee by Belsha Printing Press Limited (a company belonging to Gov. Matawalle) who entered into joint development of the property with PeachVille Platinum Limited. (A copy of the Agreement between Belsha Printing Press and PeachVille Platinum Press Limited was attached by the commission and marked as EXHIBIT EFCC 9).
Prior to the above damning revelations by the EFCC, the commission had an unfinished business with the Zamfara Governor.
He was charged in the #Dasuki arms procurement deal that resulted in the embezzlement of $2 billion through the office of the National Security Adviser under the leadership of Colonel Sambo Dasuki, the former National Security Adviser.
The commission is patiently waiting for Governor Matawalle’s tenure to elapse, so that he pay the price for his misdoings.
It would be recalled that Justice Ekwo while delivering his judgment on August 30, 2022 said: “from the position of the law, especially Section 308 of the Constitution, EFCC has no other option than to wait till the end of the tenure of office of the Governor.”
