The former Accountant General of the Federation, Mr Ahmed Idris has, until last week, been cooling his heels off in an EFCC cell.

Mr Idris is being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of corruption involving over N80 billion in alleged looted public funds.

The suspended AGF, now released after spending nights in the EFCC custody, is also facing allegations of criminal conspiracy.

Sources indicate that the EFCC has for some time now been investigating a case of diversion of at least N80 billion in public funds which were allegedly laundered through some bogus contracts.

A former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, was also arrested over “N22bn SURE-P fraud” linked to the accountant-general.

Mr Yari is also being investigated for allegedly conspiring with the suspended AGF to siphon an estimated N84billion in public funds.

Those familiar with the matter are of the opinion that the diverted funds were part of the 13 per cent derivation funds meant for payment to eight oil-producing states.

The EFCC had recently nabbed Idris for allegedly stealing N80 billion and also using proxies to obtain prime property located in Kano, Lagos, Abuja, United Arab Emirate and the United Kindgom at the expense of Nigerians. 

One of the consequences of his alleged misappropriation is the closure of public universities and the future of the teeming youths that is at stake.

While the closure of universities remains interminable, Idris allegedly raked a whopping sum of N80 million from salaries of the hapless lecturers through fraudulent manipulation of the controversial Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information (IPPIS) which was ironically touted to be a safeguard against fraud. 

According to media reports, the suspended Accountant General made a minimum of N16,000 every month from each of the university lecturer who enrolled in IPPIS through indiscriminate deductions from their salaries and allowances.

Coordinator of Bauchi zonal branch of ASUU, Prof Lawan Abubakar, had last year called the attention of the public to Idris’ questionable source of wealth when no one cared. 

While briefing journalists about the update on the ongoing strike, he said: “We would want gentlemen of the press to assist us in the conduct of two investigations. The first is to uncover who bought the version of the Sokoto Hotel in Kano with a whopping sum of N500 million cash down and demolished it the next day for ongoing development of a multi-billion naira shopping mall.

“How and where did he get money for such investment? The second assignment is to assist uncover who is hiding to invest multi-billion naira in the Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange. How and where did he get money for such investment?”

The Nigerian public eagerly awaits the answers.