The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a former contractor with the Kaduna State Government, Bashir Bello Ibrahim, over alleged multiple fraud amounting to N30 billion.
Ibrahim, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Formal Act Legacy Limited, was arrested by operatives of the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Commission following no fewer than 251 petitions filed against him.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale.
According to the statement, despite the termination of his contract with the Kaduna State Government in October 2023, Ibrahim allegedly continued to parade himself as a consultant for the 23 local government areas of the state and for the United Charity Foundation (UCF), FICCORD, claiming affiliation with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) office.
He was also accused of falsely claiming that he had a valid 2020 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kaduna State Government to source intervention grants from international donor agencies for local government projects and SDG implementation.
“Despite the termination of the MoU, the suspect continued to illegally award fictitious contracts to the tune of approximately N30 billion,” the EFCC said.
He allegedly convinced contractors to supply hospital equipment, drugs, vaccines, and construct boreholes and health facilities, claiming he was acting on behalf of the state government. The Commission said the suspect warehoused the items, sold some, and diverted proceeds for personal use without notifying the LGAs or paying the suppliers.
Investigations further revealed that he sold fake contract award papers through proxies, altering contract terms unilaterally — a key factor that reportedly led to the MoU’s termination in 2023.
Items recovered from his premises include ambulances, Toyota Hilux pickup vans, buses, dispatch motorcycles, large quantities of children’s drugs and vaccines, hospital beds, mattresses, and industrial generators.
“The EFCC is working with NAFDAC and the Kaduna State Ministry of Health to evaluate the cache of medicines and conduct quality assessments. Preliminary findings showed that some of the medicines were expired, substandard, or counterfeit.
“Umar Ahmad Suleiman of NAFDAC’s Federal Task Force confirmed that several of the drug manufacturers were unregistered, while Abubakar Isa Balarabe, a pharmacist from the Kaduna State Ministry of Health, said the warehouse conditions were unfit for storing pharmaceuticals.
“The suspect will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” the statement added.
