EX-GOVERNOR ABDULFATAH AHMED'S WIFE IN TROUBLE OVER SMED FUND, AS EFCC LINKS HER WITH #2BN LOOT

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has traced some of the looted N2 billion for Small and Medium Enterprise Development, SMED in Kwara State to the account of the immediate past first lady of the state, Mrs Omolewa Ahmed.

Mrs Ahmed who has allegedly refunded 3m naira according to the anti graft agency, has refused to report to the commission for further interrogation a development which the agency said may cause her arrest.

She was said to have told the EFCC that she was indisposed but has been silent on the nature of her illness and has not presented any medical report in support of her claim.

The Republic gatherrd that the commission is considering placing the former first lady on watch list an action that may prevent her from travelling abroad.

Also in trouble over the slush fund is an acclaimed first class traditional ruler in the state who allegedly collected N78m out of the N2 billion. Sources close to Commission say the royal father who it noted has been running from pillar to post for a possible soft landing may also be reined in if he fails to turn himself in.

Our correspondent  learnt that one of the market women used her share of the slush fund to organise the disruption of the Tradermoni outing in Ilorin by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The ex-First Lady had collected the N2 billion without due diligence and later diverted same to her Foundation.

But detectives discovered that instead of using the cash for SMED, she converted it to promote herself.

The objective of the foundation is to “initiate and implement strategies to deal with Cultural, Socio-economic, Health and Wellbeing issues militating against the development of Children, Youth and Women.”

A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Our detectives are on the trace of the ex-First Lady. We accorded her much respect but she has been avoiding interrogation.

“Without honouring our invitation, she later sent the director of her foundation to refund N3 million to EFCC. But we need her to come for interaction on the looted funds traced to her. She is claiming to be sick but no evidence of any medical report.

“If she does not appear before EFCC detectives, we are going to watch-list her and prevent her from traveling abroad.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “Some of the suspects already quizzed have implicated the ex-First Lady. There is also evidence of allocation of funds from the N2 billion for SMED to her account.

 

“Selected and influential market men and women across the 16 local government areas of the state received N5 million each as loans, but did not payback.

“One of the market women used a share of her illicit allocation to organise the disruption ofTradermoni outing by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

“About 50 percent of the controversial loans were shared by highly placed individuals and selected businessmen and women at the expense of other beneficiaries.”

As at press time, there were indications that a First Class royal father, who collected N78 million out of the SME bazaar, might be arrested for refusing to refund the cash.

The source said: “There were no justifiable reasons for the allocation of the N78 million to the ruler. The money was also not used for farming which he got it for.

“The traditional ruler has been running around for soft landing. But the issue at stake is about public funds. We may arrest him any moment from now.”

The EFCC has so far arrested the Director-General, Kwara State Bureau of SMED, Segun Soewu, over alleged N2billion fraud.

Some of those arrested were: Ogudu Samuel of Brightway Micro-finance; A.K. Imam of Magajin Garin MFB;   Adeleke M.S. of Sincere Micro-Finnace Bank(MFB); Yusuf Muideen of Balogun Fulani MFB; Issa Abdulrasheed of KCMB Mfb, and Oyebode Asimiyu of Apels MFB.

Others include Lawal Ayo of Omu-Aran MFB; Tope Eniola of Iludun MFB;  Lawal Folashade of Stockcarp MFB; Yusuf Tajudeen of First Heritage MFB;  and Olawoye E.O. of Offa MFB.

The EFCC began the probe of the N2 billion following intelligence reports alleging fraudulent misappropriation and mismanagement of the cash to assist market men and women across the 16 Local Government Areas of the state.

All the MFBs failed to follow due process and the SME cash was also distributed to highly-placed politicians, and prominent people in the 16 local government areas in the state.