Yobe Auditor-General Jailed Five Years For N19.9 Million Fraud

The auditor-general of Yobe State, Idris Yahaya has been sentenced to five years in prison for N19,900,000 fraud.

A High Court sitting in Yobe found Yahaya guilty on a one-count charge of criminal misappropriation.

Yahaya on the 9th of November, 2022 was arraigned but he pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a statement released on Monday said the auditor-general received funds for the purchase of an official vehicle, a Toyota Corolla model 2015 and diverted part of the money to his personal use.

EFCC stated, “That you, Yahaya Lawal Idris, being the Auditor General for Local Government, Yobe State, between the 20th to 21st day of May 2017 at Damaturu, Yobe State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, received the sum of N19,900,000.00 via your personal account number 1001480930 with account name Alhaji Yahaya Idris domiciled in United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) from the Local Government Audit Account Number 5030030060 domiciled in Fidelity Bank Plc for the purchase of a brand new Toyota Corolla 2015 Model, did dishonestly misappropriated the gross sum of N10,100,000.00 (Ten Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira) only.”

The presiding judge, Justice Muhammad Lawan in his ruling held that the prosecution successfully proved its case and the defendant was convicted as charged.

Lawan directed the convicted auditor-general to pay the sum of N10,100,000 in restitution to the Yobe state government through the EFCC or serve additional two years in prison.