THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has alleged that 58 former state governors in Nigeria significant number of former governors have been involved in the misappropriation, embezzlement or laundering of about N2.187trillion since the return of democratic rule over 25 years in 1999.
This amount does not include properties seized worldwide or those currently being investigated, which it said runs into billions of naira.
The almost N2.2trillion looted funds is equivalent to the combined budgets of Lagos State and the Southeast states for this year, which are N2.25 trillion and N2.29 trillion, respectively.
This figure exceeds the budgets of the North Central states and Northeast states for this year, which are N1.89trillion and N1.60trillion, respectively, by several billion.
The EFCC is currently investigating or prosecuting 58 ex-governors from various regions of the country.
Since the return of democratic rule on May 29, 1999, there have been at least 170 governors across the 36 states of the federation, out of which the 58 are currently or have previously been investigated by anti-graft agency, with alleged amounts in question consisting of late Abubakar Audu (Kogi, N10.966billion); T.A. Orji (Abia) and sons (N551billion); Yahaya Bello (Kogi, N80.2billion); Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu, N5.3billion); Sullivan Chime (Enugu, N450million); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti, N4billion); Ayo Fayose (Ekiti, N6.9billion); Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa, N15billion); Danjuma Goje (Yobe, N5billion); Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto, N15billion) and Sule Lamido (Jigawa, N1.35billion).
Others include Joshua Dariye (Plateau, N1.16 billion); Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa, N19.2billion); Saminu Turaki (Taraba, N36billion); Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia, N7.6billion); Bello Matawalle (Zamfara, N70billion); Lucky Igbinedion (Edo, N4.5billion); Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano, N10billion); Peter Odili (Rivers, N100billion); Jolly Nyame (Taraba, N1.64billion); James Ngilari (N167million); Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara, N84billion); Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom, N100billion); Abdul Fatah Ahmed (Kwara, N9billion); Ali Modu Sheriff (Borno, N300billion); Willie Obiano (Anambra, N43billion); Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe, N1.3billion); Darius Ishaku (Taraba, N39billion); Ramalan Yero (Kaduna, N700million); Achike Udenwa (Imo, N350million) and Rochas Okorocha (N10.8billion).
The rest are James Ibori (Delta, N40billion); DSP Alamieyeseigha (Bayelsa, N2.655billion); Gabriel Suswam (Benue, N3.111billion); Samuel Ortom (Benue, N107billion); Murtala Nyako (Adamawa, N29billion); Rashidi Ladoja (Oyo, 4.7billion); Christopher Alao-Akala (Oyo, N11.5 billion); Abdulkadir Kure (Niger, N600million); Babangida Aliyu (Niger, N4billion); Idris Wada (Kogi, N500million); Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano, N950million), Adamu Aliero (Kebbi, N10billion); Usman Dakingari (Kebbi) and wife (N5.8billion); Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto, N19.6billion); Jonah Jang (Plateau, N6.3billion); Aliyu Doma (Nasarawa, N8billion), Tanko Al’Makura (Nasarawa, N4billion); Boni Haruna (Adamawa, N93billion); Bindow Jibrila (Adamawa, N62billion), Adamu Muazu (Bauchi, 13billion); Isa Yuguda (Bauchi, N212billion) and Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi, N8.5billion).
All these excludes some former governors the EFCC did not or failed to investigate or prosecute for sundry reasons.
