Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
Sixteen local government chairmen in Kwara State are presently being interrogated by the Ilorin Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged misappropriation of part of a N4billion loan and 10 percent of state internally generated revenue.
The embattled council chairman include; Risikat Opakunle, Saidu Yaru Musa, Umar Belle, Ayeni Dallas, Fatai Adeniyi Garba, Lah Abdulmumeen, Raliat Funmi Salau, Aminat Omodara, Muyiwa Oladipo. Others are; Oladipo Omole, Abdullahi Abubakar Bata, Saka Eleyele, Lateef Gbadamosi, Oni Adebayo Joseph, Omokanye Joshua Olatunji and Jibril Salihu.
It was gathered that the council chiefs after securing the controversial loans held a meeting and decided that N100million be shared among themselves.
The suspects had on February 7, 2018 applied for a N4billion loan to the Sterling Bank manager, Ilorin in order to pay the salary arrears of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) teachers, local government staff and the LG pensioners while the provision for N100m for the council chairmen was not appropriated in the loan request.
The embattled politicians were also accused of diverting 10 percent of their monthly internally generated revenue for their personal use, which was paid directly into their personal accounts against the financial regulations.
It was gathered that during interrogation by the EFCC operatives, the suspects admitted that N100m was shared from the loan and that they also received ten percent of the internally generated revenue.
They were said to be pleading with the EFCC to give them time to pay back what they benefited from the funds. The state House of Assembly had earlier probed the council chairmen, suspended them in September and recommended further investigations. Their tenure also comes to an end this month.