After about seven and a half hours grilling yesterday, embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ali Modu Sheriff, undertook before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to refund N40million.
The amount is what he allegedly benefited from out of the N24.29billion poll cash facilitated by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Sheriff was give administrative bail by the operatives of the anti-graft agency at its Maiduguri, the Borno State capital office.
The former Borno State Governor arrived the office, located behind the Directorate of State Services (DSS) office off Maiduguri/Damaturu Highway, escorted by a detachment of riot policemen.
Sheriff, who arrived at the office at about 10:15 am, emerged from his glass-tinted bulletproof Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), dressed in a brown babanriga with a cap to match. He clutched a white mobile phone.
Senator Sheriff was at the office between 10am till about 5.30pm.
A source said: “Based on previous interactions with some leaders of the PDP in Borno State, we isolated issues for him and asked him to respond to the allegation that he benefitted from the N450million allocated to the state by Diezani as campaign funds.
“One of the issues was the N40million traced to him through Hon. Kumalia for security.
“Sheriff admitted receiving the cash and made a firm commitment to return it as soon as possible.
“Based on Sheriff’s pledge, he was granted an administrative bail.”
A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren confirmed the grilling of Sheriff.
The statement said: “A former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Shariff, was grilled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Maiduguri zonal office on Wednesday for his involvement in sharing the sum of N40m.
“Investigation is ongoing as Shariff is answering questions in the EFCC office at the time of writing this report.”
The EFCC had on June 6, grilled Mohammed Wakil, who was the PDP campaign coordinator for Borno State, who in his report, said the N450million allocated to the state was shared as follows: “Nicholas Msheliya, Peter Biye, Hon. Kudla satumaria, Hon. Ibrahim Birma, all from southern Borno received the sum of N112, 340.000.00. Equally Hon. Kangar, through Dr. Kulima A.A received N88, 620.000.00 while Engr Mohammad Baba Kachalla, Hon. Kaamuna Khadi, Hon. Zarma Mustapha and Hon. Abdulrahman Tarab received the sum of 140,860.000.00.
“Similarly, the sum of N40m was allegedly given to Hon. Kumalia for onward transmission to Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff for Security.”
