The mysterious death of two witnesses, Ma’aji Mohammed Iro and Abdulmalik Dalhatu, lined up to testify against the former governor of Adamawa state Murtala Nyako, has instilled fear in other prospective witnesses. According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), following the death of Iro and Dalhatu whose lifeless bodies were found shortly after they testified against Nyako, other potential witnesses are scared to testify against the former governor, who is facing money laundering charge. Late Iro was the then regional manager of Zenith Bank Plc, Northeast Nigeria, and was in charge of the accounts of Adamawa state with the bank. Iro was said to have presented convicting evidence against Nyako who is answering to a 37-count criminal charge alongside his son, Abdulaziz, a serving senator Justice Evoh Chukwu had on Friday, July 10, 2015, granted the accused persons bail to the tune of N350million each. They were asked to produce two persons to stand as their sureties or in the alternative, provide one surety who must be a serving Director in any federal government establishment. The surety according to the court must show a proof of ownership of landed property in Abuja, depose to an affidavit of means before the deputy chief registrar of the High Court, as well as, show evidence of three years tax payment. Besides, the accused persons were directed to surrender their international passport to the court alongside their two recent passport photographs, even as the court slated September 30 to commence their trial. However, EFCC is kicking against their release on bail. The commission said: “Two of our crucial witnesses, Ma’aji Mohammed Iro and Abdulmalik Dalhatu have died in mysterious circumstances and this has instilled fear in other prospective witnesses in this case. “Securing the arrest of the 1st (Nyako) and 2nd (Abdulaziz) accused persons was very difficult as they became fugitives upon becoming aware of the ongoing investigation against them by the commission. “That the commission obtained a warrant of arrest dated January 28, 2015, against the 1st and 2nd accused persons. The said warrant of arrest is marked as Exhibit RJ1. “That the commission had to declare the 1st and 2nd accused persons wanted in the National Dailies and other media before they could be found after several months." Narrating what led to the arrest and trial of the ex-governor, EFCC said: “That following a petition received by the commission in October 2011 alleging gross abuse of office against the 1st accused and other criminal misappropriation of moneys running into tens of billions of Naira of the funds of Adamawa state government. “The commission swung into action and carried out discreet investigation into the said allegations. “That the investigations carried out by my ream revealed the following: a) That the 1st and 2nd accused are the owners of the 6th accused Sebore Farms & Extension Limited, which they operate by themselves. “That several fictitious contracts running into billions of Naira were awarded to the said 6th accused while the 1st accused was governor of Adamawa state. “That on the instruction of the 1st accused Ma’aji Mohammed Iro made several cash lodgements running into billions of Naira into the accounts of several companies and individuals including the accounts of the 6th and 9th (Crust Energy Limited) accused persons, all from the accounts of Adamawa state government for no specific reason.” The commission told the court that the 3rd accused, Zulkifikk Abba, who was a political adviser to Nyako, is the owner of Alpharetta Farms Limited, one of the companies through which several billions of Naira belonging to Adamawa state was allegedly stolen. It said that the 4th accused, Abubakar Aliyu, was a signatory to several accounts of one of the indicted companies, Blue Opal Limited, through which several monies running into billions of Naira from the funds of Adamawa state government were allegedly laundered to develop Hill View Estate, Abuja. The accused persons are alleged to have, at various times between 2011 and 2013, used five companies – Blue Opal Nigeria Limited, Serore Farms & Extension Limited, Pagoda Fortunes Limited, Towers Assets Management Limited and Crust Energy Limited to commit the fraud. Nyako was impeached as Adamawa state governor by the state House of Assembly on July 15, 2014. While his son, Abdul-Aziz Nyako is the senator representing Adamawa Central in the National Assembly.
Sources: Naij.com news , Vanguard