EFCC arrests Zamfara ex-gov Yari over N80bn Accountant General’s fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Sunday arrested a former governor of Zamfara State, Abdul’Aziz Yari, as part of investigations into the N80 billion fraud involving the suspended Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris.

RELIABLESOURCENG.COM learnt that Yari and the Chairman of a firm, Finex Professional Services, were arrested around 5pm over a N22 billion deal.

Yari, who just won a senatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara, has been under investigation for the last five years for allegedly diverting billions of Naira from the Paris Club refunds.

Some of the funds have been forfeited to the Federal Government.

“On May 29, the EFCC arrested former Governor Yari and Anthony Yaro, Chairman and Managing Director of Finex Professional, for their alleged role in N80bn fraud involving former Accountant-General of the Federation.

READ: EFCC arrests Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, over N80bn fraud

“Yari, who was picked up at about 5pm, allegedly benefited to the tune of N22 billion through Finex Professional, from the N80 billion which the former AGF paid one Akindele,” a source close to the EFCC told the media.

The accountant-general was arrested about two weeks ago for approving some bogus contracts.

The EFCC had said, “The commission’s verified intelligence showed that the AGF raked off the funds through bogus consultancies and other illegal activities using proxies, family members and close associates. The funds were laundered through real estate investments in Kano and Abuja.”