Newly-inaugurated Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, is in the news again over his alleged declaration of N9 trillion in cash, investment and property assets.
The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) had mandated all the newly-elected governors to make their asset declaration submitted to the bureau before May 29th, 2023 when they were sworn in.
It was believed Dauda Lawal did. Though the Code of Conduct Bureau has not made Lawal’s declaration public but unverified details leaked it out.
Governor Lawal has been having running battles of his worth in assets and cash with the Federal Government and Economic and Finacial Crimes Commission (EFCC) since 2021.
READ ALSO: https://www.thexpressng.com/new-kano-gov-vows-to-pursue-murder-case-against-hon-doguwa/
In July 2021, the Federal Government of Nigeria began series of investigations into the sources of funds and other assets belonging to the former Bank, Dauda Lawal Dare who was former Executive Director of the First Bank.
Dauda Lawal has recently secured a court judgement for the release of $40 million the EFCC confiscated from him on allegation that the money was a proceed of corruption.
However the Federal Government said though it had agreed and accepted the court judgement, the former executive director must account for how he got the $40m, since his salary and earnings as the executive director of the bank could not have placed him on the position to acquire such amount of money and that the bank rules prevent him from carrying out any businesses while in office.
Though the anti-grafts agencies dispatched letters of invitation to the former ED to present his assets declaration forms completed before and after he joined the services of the bank.
Other assets belonging to the former ED of the first bank which were being investigated by the agencies included his fertilezer company, Zamzam hotel, Aluminum production company, properties he acquired in both London and Dubai.
READ ALSO: https://www.thexpressng.com/gov-fintiri-reappoints-humwashi-wonosikou-as-press-secretary/
Bala Usman from Gusau said Lawal made his money through hard work. He said for the record, that “the allegation of illegal acquisition of the sum of $40 Million and the subsequent “confiscation” by the EFCC, the available records confirm that the Order of Final Forfeiture made by the Federal High Court (Lagos Division) was set aside by the Court of Appeal in Appeal No: CAILAG/CV/480/2019; DAUDA LAWAL v. EFCC & ANOR by its Judgment dated 25th March 2020.
“The appeal by the EFCC against the Judgment of the Court of Appeal referred to above, was dismissed by the Supreme Court for lack of merit in a unanimous judgment delivered on 12th March 2021 in SC/CR/21212020; EFCC v. DAUDA LAWAL; thereby, upholding and affirming the earlier Judgment of the Court of Appeal in the matter.
The above Judgments are matters of public record and are easily verifiable by any reasonable person. A seeker of truth can make the expected investigation on the subject matter before jumping to a conclusion.
“Lawal has passed all sorts of intimidation from the mischief-makers when EFCC failed to establish facts against him. There was a time when the Nigeria Custom was used to investigate the validity of the duties of his fleets of cars. His Kaduna residence was ambushed by Customs officers, what was the outcome? To their greatest shock, all his cars have proper documents as required by the law.”