How ex-Niger gov, Aliyu diverted N2b Ecological Fund for election campaign – Witness

Bala Muhammed, a prosecution witness on Thursday told the Niger State High Court, Minna, how the state’s former governor, Babangida Aliyu, and two others allegedly diverted the N2 billion Ecological Fund to fund the 2015 election campaign.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the ex-governor alongside the duo of Tanko Beji and Umar Nasko for criminal breach of trust and diversion of the ecological fund.

Muhammed, who concluded his evidence-in-chief at Thursday’s hearing, said: “On the issue of the N2billion Ecological Fund, the first defendant during the course of interview by the investigation team, clearly stated that they had a discussion with the then President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that the N2billion Ecological Fund would be used to fund the campaign of Niger state governorship election.”

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Consequently, counsel for the first defendant urged the court to grant an adjournment for him to be fully prepared for the cross examination.

But the prosecution counsel, Faruk Abdallah, opposed the application.

“While we concede that adjournment is at the discretion of the court, we oppose the application as PW11 testified a month ago and only added to statements,” he said.

Justice Mikail Aliyu, thereafter, adjourned the matter till May 13 for the continuation of cross-examination of witnesses on the case.

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