Federal Government on Wednesday announced the suspension of the accountant-general of the federation (AGF) in order to allow a seamless investigation into his involvement in the N80billion fraud case against him by the EFCC.
In a letter conveying Idris’ suspension, the Minister of Finance warned the embattled public official not to visit the office at any time, adding that the suspension was in line with the public service rules.
In a recent development, the anti graft agency makes new discovery against the AGF Ahmed Idris, at least 17 properties has been traced to the embattled Accountant General.
Recall a statement was released earlier by the commission stating that the AGF raked off the enormous funds through bogus consultancies and other illegal activities using proxies, family members and close associates.
Relating the latest discovery about the embattled AGF, an official of the EFCC who confided in The PUNCH on the ground of anonymity said the properties traced to Idris are located in Kano, Lagos, Abuja, Dubai and London.
He, however, said preliminary investigations showed that the nation’s chief accountant allegedly used proxies to buy some of these properties.
The commission according to him would therefore need to invite some of the proxies of the accountant-general.
The detective added that from all indications, these properties were purchased while Idris was in office and did not declare them before the Code of Conduct Bureau as stipulated by law.
“About 17 houses in London, Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Dubai have been traced to him. In Abuja, some of the houses are located in serviced estates,” the PUNCH quoted the source as saying.
According to report, the AGF Idris came under scrutiny last year following reports that he offered huge sums of money to a family to secure the marriage of their 16-year-old daughter.
The uncle of the teenager, Nura Bagudu, had disclosed to journalists during an interview that the accountant-general offered properties and gifts to the young lady and her family.
“He told the young lady to go to Abuja and choose any house she wanted and he would buy it for her,” Bagudu recalled.
The accountant-general had in 2021 launched Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited which he had openly admitted to owning.
An EFCC official said the legal department was already getting an order to remand the accountant-general and get an interim forfeiture on some of his properties pending the completion of investigations.