fraud: EFCC declares ex-Katsina Gov, Shema, wanted

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Wednesday night, declared wanted, the former Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, over the diversion of N18 billion from the local government areas joint account. Vanguard learnt that the anti-graft agency resorted to declaring the former governor wanted after its operatives could not locate him for arrest in his Asokoro residence

A top source in the commission narrated to Vanguard how the operatives went to Shema’s home in the highbrow Asokoro District to pick up the top PDP politician but missed him by the whisker. “We have been monitoring him with a view to bringing him for interrogation but by the time our operatives arrived his compound, he was not there. “The truth is that we had run out of patience with the former governor’s numerous excuses and had to declare him wanted because he has been inventing reasons to avoid honouring our invitations,” a top EFCC official told Vanguard.

“We have been looking for him to explain how he diverted more than N18 billion from the joint local government account and mismanaging the funds thereby causing hardship for the people of the state but he has been evading us,” the source added. 

Shema, who ruled the state between 2007 and 2015, was rated as one of the ‘best performing’ PDP governors and had allegedly nursed higher political ambition before standing down. He is credited with establishing many projects and educational institutions in Katsina State, thereby broadening educational opportunities for the natives.