Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle, has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for its “uprightness and integrity” in arresting the two Chinese contractors.
Recall that on Monday, the Sokoto Zonal Office of the EFCC had arrested two Chinese nationals, Meng Wei Kun and Xu Koi, for offering a sum of N50,000,000 as bribe to its Zonal Head, Abdullahi Lawal.
The bribe was allegedly offered in a desperate bid to compromise ongoing investigations of a construction company, China Zhonghao Nig. Ltd, handling contracts awarded by the Zamfara State Government in the sum of N50,000,000,000.00 between 2012 to 2019.
In a swift reaction, the governor, through his Special Adviers on Public Enlightenment, Media and Communications, Zailani Bappa, said the arrest justified their concerns against the atrocities perpetrated by the immediate past administration in the state.
According to the governor, EFCC under the leadership of Ibrahim Magu deserves commendation, saying that the singular act by the anti-graft agency “cannot simply pass unnoticed”.
“I want to specifically commend the leadership of Ibrahim Magu and his Zonal Head in Sokoto, Alhaji Lawal Abdullahi, for moving this case to a significant stage by this arrest and further proving to the world our cries against the atrocities perpetrated by the immediate past administration in the state,” Governor Matawalle stated.
“Sometimes back, I cancelled the unexecuted multi-billion naira contract awarded to this same Chinese company and called for the refund of the money.
“I still call on Mr President to assist the State Government to fast track the retrieval of this money and repatriate it back to the state so that we can actually provide the water and electricity to the rural areas.
“It is pertinent here to call on the President, Muhammadu Buhari, to further endorse his confidence on Mr Ibrahim Magu and his team as it is becoming obvious by the day that those calling for his removal actually have skeletons hiding in their wardrobes,” Matawalle advised.
“This is indeed, similar to the calls for the removal of Service Chiefs where we discovered that those against them actually have cases to answer in terms of aiding and abetting banditry and other heinous crimes in our dear state”, Matawalle further observed.
“We have worked with these Service Chiefs and we have seen their excellent handiwork in genuine fight against banditry and other terror in our dear state. I call on President Muhammadu Buhari to equally further endorse his support and encouragement to all of them”, Governor Matawalle further appealed.
