Buhari in support of probe of governors over N552.74 Paris club loan refund scandal

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The Presidency is allegedly in support of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) probe of governors involved in the N552.74 billion Paris club loan scandal.

Following the recent investigation launched by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to look into the scandal rocking the N552.74 billion Paris Club loan refunds and the governors’ involvement, President Muhammadu Buhari has shown his support and interest in the EFCC investigation.

According to Daily Trust, an anonymous official of the presidency said President Buhari would not shield any governor from investigation and wants the probe to be “logically concluded”.

Buhari in support of probe of governors over N552.74 Paris club loan refund scandal

He stated: “If the president would shield any of the governors, would he have asked for the investigation in the first place? Nobody is above the law. The governors should realise that they are not above the law.”

“Everybody in this country knows this administration is committed to the fight against corruption. All that the administration wants is that regarding the ongoing investigation into the Paris Club loan refund, the EFCC should be fair to everybody concerned.

“It was because of some allegations that the investigation was called for. The allegations include diversion of the monies into private pockets. Another allegation is that of the hiring of phony consultants to pocket the money. Who are these consultants? What was their role? Who hired them? Where are the monies?”

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had on December 22, 2016 approved the sum of N552.74bn to be paid in batches to the 33 states owed. There are allegations that the governors diverted the funds instead of paying salaries and engaging in infrastructure development.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) has dared the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its chairman, Ibrahim Magu, to go ahead and probe them over the scandal rocking the N552.74 Paris Club loan refunds.

The chairman of the NGF and governor of Zamfara, Abdulaziz Yari, said the governors discussed the issue in details and said they were ready and waiting for a probe.