EFCC Declares Ex-Jigawa Governor Saminu Turaki Wanted Over N36bn Fraud

Ex-Governor Saminu Turaki

A Federal High Court in Dutse, the Jigawa capital, has issued a warrant directing the Inspector General of Police or his officers and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to arrest Saminu Turaki, former governor of Jigawa State and bring him before the court.

Justice S. Yahuza gave the order on Friday after Mr. Turaki failed to appear before the court. The EFCC had earlier declared him wanted.“You are hereby commanded to arrest the said Ibrahim Saminu Turaki and bring him before me at Federal High Court, Dutse, Jigawa State without delay”, the court ordered.The EFCC is prosecuting the former governor over a N36 billion theft and money laundering crime he allegedly committed when he was governor.

Mr. Turaki, who was born on July 14, 1963 was a two term governor of Jigawa State between May 29, 1999–May 29, 2007.He was first arraigned by the EFCC before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in 2007 on a 32-count charge of misappropriating N36 billion while he was governor.

The case was later transferred to Federal High Court, Dutse after he challenged the jurisdiction ofthe FCT Court. He was subsequently re-arraigned on a 32-count charge at the Federal High Court Dutse, Jigawa State.The last known address of the accused who contested for senate in 2011 on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria is No. 16, Dennis Osadebe Street, Asokoro Villa, Abuja.

The EFCC said it implores “anyone having useful information about the whereabouts of the suspect to notify its offices in Kano, Gombe, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Lagos or report at the nearest police station.”