EFCC arrests ex-Gov Al-Makura’s son over N130 million property
The Commission of Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) has questioned a son of a former governor of Nasarawa state, Tanko Al-Malkura, about a suspicious purchase of property worth N130 million.
Commission sources with first-hand information on the matter, but were prohibited from speaking to the media about it, said 24-year-old Amir Al-Makura paid 96 million nairas in cash “in foreign currency equivalent” as partial payment for the property.
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“In addition to our Real Estate investigation, we invited Amir Tanko Almakura, son of Senator Almakura.
“The suspect is 24 years old and bought a house from Bilaad Realty Ltd worth N130,000,000.00 and paid the sum of N96,000,000.00 in cash in foreign currency equivalent,” the source said.
The source said Amir informed the commission “but did not explain the source of the money or give a genuine explanation as to how the property was acquired.”
The source said the suspect is still in custody because he has not yet complied with the bail conditions that were given to him.
“He has been detained pending bail conditions,” the source said.
EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren could not be reached at the time of this report.
Amir’s arrest comes about nine months after the EFCC arrested his father, Mr Al-Makura, a sitting senator, and his wife, Mairo, in July last year.
Sources said his arrest was related to an alleged breach of trust and misappropriation of funds allegedly perpetrated during the former governor’s eight-year administration as governor of Nasarawa state.
Mr Al-Makura served as Governor of Nasarawa State from 2011 to 2019 before being elected to the National Assembly as a Senator representing the South Nasarawa senatorial district.
PREMIUM TIMES would later understand that EFCC arrested the couple on suspicion of being involved in the flow of dirty money.
Some suspicious transactions involving the couple, their companies, including the Ta’al hotel in Lafia, and some businesses, said the EFCC arrested the couple on suspicion of being involved in the flow of dirty money.
PREMIUM TIMES learned that around 55 accounts controlled by the couple and their companies were involved in the suspicious transactions, amounting to billions of naira when Mr Al-Makura was Governor of Nasarawa State between 2011 and 2019.
Contacted for his comment, the former governor’s spokesman, Danjuma Joseph, told PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday that he was unaware of the detention of the former governor’s son.
