Court sends former governor Babangida Aliyu to prison

- Ex-governor, Babangida Aliyu, and his former chief of staff, Umar Nasko, have been sent to jail over alleged fraud

- Aliyu was alleged to have committed the offense while he served as governor for two-terms in the Niger state

The Federal High Court has ordered that the immediate past governor of Niger state, Babangida Aliyu, be remanded in prison custody until May 4.

Justice Mohammed Mayaki of the High Court sitting in Niger state also ruled that governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 election, Umar Nasko, be remanded in prison, Premium Times reports.

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Legit.ng recalls that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had on Tuesday, April 25, arraigned Babangida Aliyu, and Umar Nasko, over alleged N3bn fraud.

Aliyu was alleged to have committed the offense while he served as governor for two-terms in the Niger state.

Nasko also served as chief of staff and commissioner for environment under Aliyu’s administration between 2007 and 2015.

According to the charges filed against the former governor, the EFCC alleged that he diverted N520m from the Niger State Government Security Account domiciled in Zenith Bank account between January and March 2011.

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The anti-graft agency said that within the same period, the former governor also allegedly diverted a separate N1.7bn from the same account.

The commission said in 2015 Aliyu and Nasko allegedly diverted about N1.09bn, which was 16 per cent shares of Niger State in the North South Power Company Limited.

The alleged crimes are believed to be in contravention of sections 97 and 312 of the Penal Code.

In the Legit.ng video below, watch as Nnamdi Kanu emerges from court after being granted bail.

Source: Legit.ng