Alhaji Idris Yahaya, the Auditor-General for local government, Yobe State, is to spend five years in prison, following his conviction today, Monday, March 13, 2023, by Justice Muhammad Lawu Lawan of the Yobe State High Court.
Yahaya was convicted after being pronounced guilty of a one-count charge of criminal misappropriation to the tune of N19.9 million preferred against them by the Maiduguri zonal command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Yahaya received funds from the Office of the Auditor-General for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Yobe State, for the purchase of an official vehicle, a 2015 Toyota Corolla, and diverted part of the money to his personal use.
Yahaya was first arraigned on Wednesday November 9, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The count to which he was found culpable read: ”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 Honorable Court, received the sum of N19,900,000.00 via your personal account number 1001480930 with account name Alhaji Yahaya Idris, domiciled with United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) from the Local Government Audit Account Number 5030030060 domiciled with Fidelity Bank Plc for the purchase of a brand new Toyota Corolla 2015 Model; that you did dishonestly misappropriate the gross sum of N10,100,000.00 (Ten Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira) only being the money made for the purchase of the said brand new Toyota Corolla 2015 for the Office of the Local Government Auditor General, Yobe State, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 308 of the Penal Code Cap 102 Laws of Yobe State of Nigeria and punishable under section 309 of the same Law.”
