The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a former Kaduna State government contractor, Bashir Bello Ibrahim, over alleged multiple fraudulent contracts of approximately N30 billion.
The arrest was made by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the EFCC following over 250 petitions received against Ibrahim, who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Formal Act Legacy Limited.
According to the Commission, the suspect allegedly continued to pose as a consultant for all 23 local government areas in Kaduna State and other organisations, despite the termination of his contract in 2023.
Allegations against the suspect
The EFCC alleged that Ibrahim deceived his victims by claiming to have a valid Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kaduna State Government and the United Charity Foundation (UCF), affiliated with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) office.
“It is also alleged that he informed his victims that he had a 2020 Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the Kaduna State government for the purpose of sourcing intervention grants from global donor agencies for the funding of LGA projects in the state and supporting the actualization of SDGs within the state.
While investigations revealed that the suspect is not a consultant to UCF, his 2020 MoU with the Kaduna State government was terminated by the state government in October 2023 as a result of default on the terms of the MoU by the suspect.
However, despite the termination of the MoU, the suspect intentionally engaged in unauthorised award of fictitious contracts to the tune of approximately N30 billion (Thirty Billion Naira) by convincing his contractor victims to supply items meant for construction of hospitals, motorised boreholes, hospital beds and mattresses, drugs and vaccines which he would allegedly receive on behalf of the Kaduna State government, sold some and diverted their proceeds to his personal use.
From investigations, it was further discovered that when he took delivery of the supplies, he would warehouse them, kept the LGAs in the dark about their delivery, and furthermore, failed to pay the contractors the value of what they supplied. It is also alleged that the suspect was selling contract award papers using proxies with whom he shared the proceeds.
These fraudulent acts, coupled with his unilateral alteration of the nature of the contracts and their terms, allegedly led to the termination of the MoU he had with the state government in 2023,” the commission stated
Recovered items
During investigations, the Commission recovered items including Toyota Hilux pickup vans, ambulances, buses, dispatch motorcycles, hospital beds, drugs and vaccines, and other items found in a warehouse without the knowledge of the local government.
“Items recovered from him include Toyota Hilux pick-up vans, ambulances, buses, dispatch motorcycles, caches of drugs and vaccines for children, stacks of hospital beds and mattresses, and heavy-duty generators.
Found in his office store are large quantities of tablets, capsules, syrups, infusions, ointments/creams; medical consumables that include hand gloves, syringes, and mucus extractor,” the commission stated
Findings by NAFDAC
To assess the integrity of the medical supplies, the EFCC collaborated with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Kaduna State Ministry of Health.
Following inspections, Umar Ahmad Suleiman, Investigation and Enforcement Officer, Federal Task Force, NAFDAC, said some have expired, with some being outright counterfeits.
“Some of the drug manufacturers registered with NAFDAC, and that while some of the medicines are still within shelf life, some have expired, with some being outright counterfeits and their manufacturers, unregistered with NAFDAC,” Suleiman stated
A pharmacist and Team Leader, Ministry of Health, Kaduna State, Abubakar Isa Balarabe, said the storage is not fit for any medicine because of the way and manner it was kept.
The EFCC said that the suspect would be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.
