‘Late director embezzled pensioners’ funds’

The Kogi Government has explained that the late director in the Kogi State Civil Service, Alphonsus Ameh who died of heart attack was sacked due to his involvement in the fraudulent diversion of N225, 936, 425. 72 million Pensioners’ fund, according to the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Petra Onyegbule.

According to Onyegbule, the late Ameh confessed to the State Intelligence Bureau that he participated in the sharing of the looted funds. Onyegbule added that an emergency meeting of the committee was held on May 4, 2017, which drew the attention of the members to the report from the State Intelligence Bureau and the review of the same by State Auditor-General, Yusuf Okala. 

“The late Ameh confirmed to the committee that he received a sum of N2 million as his own share of the looted funds, which he thought was Christmas bonus.

“In the report, the auditor general recommended the immediate dismissal of all civil servants indicted in the police report. The committee said that he was guilty of the offence, since he affirmed his participation in the sharing of the funds, coupled with the fact that he (Ameh) had commenced refunding part of the money.

Onyegbule listed the culprits to include Florence Adewunmi, Chairperson of the Pensions Board; Haruna Amina Mudi, Director Accounts; Abdul Musa, Deputy Director Accounts; and Itodo Gabriel, Head of Accounts, all of the State Pension Board.