EFCC recovers N3.6bn, 10 houses from suspected looters in Ilorin

The Ilorin Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it has recovered N3.6 billion and 10 houses from suspected looters.

EFCC Zonal head, Mr Isyaka Sharu, spoke on Monday in Ilorin during the annual International Anti-corruption Day rally.

“The Commission has recovered N3.6 billion from suspected looters. Two out of the recovered properties are in Ikoyi.

“One is in Lekki and the recent recovered property worth over N1 billion is in Ilorin,” Sharu said.

He said that at the eve of the last handing over, EFCC saved the state of an attempt to loot over N4 billion of its tax refund.

“Currently, the ongoing investigation into the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWRS) led to the recovery of about N50 million.

“Effort is being made to recover the balance of about N2 billion from some notable individuals in the alleged fraud in KWRS,” Sharu said.

The State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazak said that the match against corruption was for everybody, noting that “if we do not kill corruption, it will kill all of us’’.

AbdulRazak said that corruption was detrimental to the economy and social development because it reduces the capacity to work.

“It is important to work together and fight against corruption. It is killing the people gradually, the hospitals, schools and social infrastructures,” he said.

The governor commended the anti-graft body for its efforts and support in the recovery of money, saying “when we came into power, there would have been nothing for us to work with.”

“The past administration left a huge amount of debt, and if EFCC had not saved the attempt to loot N4.8 billion, there would not have been anything to work with,” he said.

AbdulRazak said the N4.8 billion was still intact in the government cash reserve, and it would be used to work for the state economy and balance the budget for next year.

”I also thank EFCC for the recovery of N111 million from fraud cases,” he said.

NAN reports that the rally was to further create awareness for the world to unite against corruption, money laundering and terrorism.

The rally also addressed issues on international cooperation, repatriation of stolen items, deportation, criminal proceedings, transfer of sentenced persons, transfer of criminal proceedings, mutual legal assistant treaty and confiscation.