Ex Gov. Goje (Gombe) spent N1.9bn on dictionary •Book valued at N19,387 per copy

Posted by admin EFCC Politics, Gombe, Latest Politics, National Politics, State News, Top Stories Sunday, October 16th, 2011

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has revealed how the detained immediate past governor of Gombe State, Senator Danjuma Goje, spent N1.9 billion to print 98,000 copies of dictionary for students in the state.

The revelation was contained in one of the 18 counts contained in the money laundering and misappropriation of funds charge slammed on him and three others.

The trio had also been arrested and detained by the commission for the commencement of their joint trial at the Federal High Court, Gombe, today.

In the said count, the anti-corruption commission accused the former governor and the former chairman of the state’s Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Alhaji Aliyu el-Nafaty and a contractor, Alhaji S.M Dokoro, of conniving to steal the state funds through the N1.9 billion contract, which was executed by just 10 per cent.

It was learnt that the former governor had directed el-Nafaty to give the said contract to Dokoro, his alleged business associate, to print one million copies of dictionary for students in the state.

The commission claimed in its findings that only 98,000 copies of the dictionary were eventually delivered by the contractor and the former UBEC chairman, with Goje paying in full for the contract.

The alleged offence is said to have been on two fronts; contract inflation and non-execution.

Goje was still being detained in Abuja at press time.

In the count 1 of the charge, Goje and Tumu, who is the former governor’s cousin, were accused by the prosecuting commission of stealing N5 billion from the state coffers through supply of food to the Gombe State Government House.

Tumu, according to the commission, was the sole supplier of food items to the state government under Goje for the eight years he spent in office.

The arraignment was postponed twice last week due to the non-availability of judges who were attending a conference in Sokoto.

The conference ended last Friday.

-Tribunewp_posts