By Olugbenga Salami
Legal and Investigative Unit of Civil Society Central Coordinating Council, CSCCC, has filed a mandamus suit to compel the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to arrest and investigate a former Zamfara State governor and senator-elect, Alhaji Abdul’aziz Yari, and a serving House of Representatives member, Hon. Aliyu Betara, over alleged money laundering and other financial crimes.
Yari from North West and Betara (North East) are currently contesting the positions of the Senate President in the Red Chamber and Speaker in the Green Chamber, respectively despite the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC zoning arrangement.
The CSCCC in a statement by the unit head, Maxwell Aleto, specifically sought a court order for EFCC, Police and the Department of State Service, DSS to probe what he called their questionable sources of funds and expenditures above legitimate income.
It is also seeking a court order to allow security agencies search the duo’s houses and offices and that of their associates.
The statement reads: “Betara who represents Biu/Bayo/Shani federal constituency is the chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation. He’s one of the G7 aggrieved speakership aspirants plotting to go against the rules of their party. Reports on the streets is that Betara and Yari are allegedly throwing money around and trying to use that to compromise lawmakers.
“It’s really sad that when the nation is in need for competent leadership, people with questionable income and character are trying to be in leadership position. In particular, former Zamfara Governor Abdulaziz Yari was on several occasions grilled by the EFCC for alleged illegal financial dealings and misappropriation of funds.
“It was reported that in February last year that Yari faced a long interrogation session with detectives at the Lagos office of the EFCC over an alleged attempt to illegally move N300 billion from a corporate account in a new generation bank.”
