Ex-Niger Governor, Babangida Aliyu, remanded in prison custody till May 3
A Minna High Court presided by Justice Mohammed Aliyu Maiyaki Tuesday ordered the remand of former Governor of Niger state, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu in prison custody pending the ruling on his bail application on May 3.
Also remanded in prison custody alongside the former governor was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate in the 2015 governorship elections, Umar Mohammed Nasko.
The accused persons were standing trial on six count charges bothering on alleged fraud and abuse of office brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
“The case is to be opened on June 12, 2017 and to be held day by day till 16th June and the ruling on bail is to be delivered on 3rd May, 2017. They are to be remanded in Medium Security prisons in Minna,” Justice Maiyaki held.
The accused were ushered into the court room at about 8.40am by the EFCC team led by the lead counsel, Gbolahon Latona.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them by Justice Aliyu Mayaki.
According to the first charge, the former governor and Nasko between 1st January, 2011 and 31st May, 2011 conspired to commit an illegal act of criminal breach of trust punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.
The second count charge bothers on alleged withdrawal of the sum of N540m from Zenith bank account No. 1012424374 for personal use contrary to section 111 of penal code and punishable under section 104 of the penal
code was for the former governor only.
The former governor was also accused of dishonestly converting to personal use the sum of N520,348,000 which was withdrawn from Niger state Government House Security Account number 1012424374 domiciled in Zenith Bank Plc contrary to section 311 of the Penal Code punishable under section 312 of the same code.
Both accused persons were also alleged to have dishonestly converted to personal use the proceeds from the sale of Niger government shares in the power plant amounting to N1.900bn, while the fifth and sixth counts
bothered on using ecological funds of N800m and another amount of N432m by both of them.
