N700m suspicious transaction: Sokoto State Government Reacts

The Sokoto State government has denied wrongdoing after federal anti-graft agents questioned a member of the Sokoto traditional council, the Sultanate, over a suspicious N700 million transferred to his account by the state government.

The spokesperson to Governor Aminu Tambuwal, Imam Imam, said in a statement Thursday that the funds were approved for the purchase of a “befitting” office and guest house for the Sultanate council in Abuja.

Mr. Imam said all laid down procedures were followed in the process of the acquisitions. He said the amount was passed by the state House of Assembly.

“Furthermore, the Sokoto State Executive Council, the highest decision-making body in the state, via a resolution of the EXCO with number CC (2016) 5R of Wednesday, December 28, 2016, approved the purchase of the office and residential accommodation in Abuja,” he said.

Mr. Imam said following the approval, the office of the Secretary of State Government received three offers from different Estate Developers “which were vetted and assessed by the Ministry of Works and the State Due Process Office”.

“Following adherence to laid down procedure, the process of acquiring the property was set in motion upon which some elements are now trying to make political capital out of it,” he said.

Documents attached to Mr. Imam’s statement show that the three firms, Fawad Nigeria Ltd, Efab Properties, Ltd and Korpic Limited were made available to the government Houses in highbrow Maitama area of Abuja.

The document shows that the House provided by Fawad Nig. Ltd. Located at No. 16, Ontario Crescent off Mississippi Street, Maitama, was selected following a certificate of no objection granted by the Due Process Office on December 23, 2016.

Approval was then given for the purchase of the House at N659 million.