The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has alleged that his predecessor, Mohammed Abubakar, spent N2.3bn to buy materials for burial in the state.
The governor, who spoke through his spokesperson, Dr Ladan Salihu, in an interview with news men in Bauchi, said the funds were spent between January and May, 2019.
He explained that over N900m was spent on the purchase of white cloth used for wrapping corpses while over N1.4bn was used to buy the wood for lacing the graves after burial.
According to him, the government discovered issues of corruption, venality, daylight robbery of the commonwealth of the people of the state.
Ladan alleged, “This money which ought to have been appropriated by the state House of Assembly before expenditure, all of a sudden emanated from our treasury books. How could you imagine that a state government, within five months, that is, between January and May, 2019, spent well over N2.3bn on funeral materials, dresses for wrapping dead bodies and the woods that you lace the graveyards with.”
Asked if the state government had any proof to substantiate its claim, he said there was no iota of doubt on the matter, saying that there was documentary evidence to prove that.
“All these are captured in the report of the transition committee and these were gathered from documents and vouchers and payments made from our treasury books. There is the Freedom of Information Law, use it and find out for yourself from those documents,” Ladan said.
The governor’s spokesman vowed that the state government would use every instrument of the law, including petitioning the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission and other anti-corruption agencies on the matter, “until every kobo stolen is returned.”
